Holland & Hart is proud to announce that for ten consecutive years the firm has received U.S. Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF). This year, 48 U.S. law firms and eight U.K. firms achieved 2020 Gold Standard Certification. Holland & Hart is one of only 12 firms to receive this recognition every year since WILEF began the award in 2011.
WILEF grants Gold Standard status to firms in the U.S. with more than 300 practicing attorneys and 100 or more attorneys in the U.K. Gold Standard Certification is based on meeting minimum thresholds on objective criteria including female lawyers promoted to equity partner and the percentage of female equity partners; women on firm governance and compensation committees and in office leadership roles; as well as the number women among firms’ most highly compensated lawyers.
Holland & Hart has been on the forefront of women's issues for many years, promoting women to partnership and leadership roles and implementing work-life balance policies and practices long before they were commonplace. The firm continues its steadfast commitment to female lawyers, not only in policies, but in the firm culture and day-to-day practice. Holland & Hart supports the success and advancement of women attorneys by providing robust training, mentoring, leadership, and business development opportunities. Our Women’s Forum brings together men and women, partners and non-partners, from across the firm who are committed to find new and creative ways to remain a workplace where women can thrive.
With 25% female equity partners, Holland & Hart is among the 6% of certified firms to exceed WILEF’s 20% criterion. Among the certified firms, an average of 30% of women lead US branch offices, while 35% of Holland & Hart’s offices are led by women. Holland & Hart also exceeded both the WILEF criterion and the average of certified firms with 21.6% of women in the top half of U.S. equity partners in terms of compensation compared to the WILEF certified firm average of 16%. In addition, 40% of Holland & Hart’s governance committee and compensation committee are women, compared to, on average, 30.9% of the members of the 2020 WILEF certified firms’ governance committees and 32.6% of their compensation committees.
For more information, please see WILEF’s press release.
Holland & Hart is also honored that the firm’s new Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Phyllis Wan, is featured in The WILEF Tribune about her new role at the firm and the opportunities and challenges for diversity, inclusion, and equity, she sees facing the legal profession.