United States 
Canada (EN) 
México 
France 
Deutschland 
United Kingdom 
ATLANTA – June 22, 2021 – Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that the firm has been included on Seramount, formerly Working Mother Media, “Best Law Firms for Women” 2021 list. Ogletree Deakins is recognized on this list for the fifth time and is one of 50 firms recognized in 2021.
The “Best Law Firms for Women” list recognizes firms that utilize best practices in recruiting, retaining, promoting, and developing women lawyers. The full list highlights law firms that average 25 percent women among equity partners and women represent 40 percent of all lawyers overall. Of all female equity partners referenced in the “Best Law Firms for Women” 2021 list, 16 percent were multicultural, and multicultural women represented 27 percent of overall women lawyers.
“We know that women have left the workplace in droves since the onset of COVID-19,” said Subha V. Barry, CEO of Seramount. “But the fact that representation of women equity partners, and women lawyers overall, has increased during this turbulent time just shows how supportive our Best Law Firms for Women are to parents and caregivers. They stepped up and offered increased flexibility and new benefit programs to help this critical talent pool balance both work and homelife.”
Key parental leave, work-life, and career advancement initiatives taking place at law firms featured on the list include:
- 100 percent of firms allow new parents come back to work at reduced hours.
- The average number of paid parental leave offered is 13 weeks, the same as the previous year.
- 86 percent of firms offer subsidized in-home backup childcare.
- 72 percent of the firms on the list have formal sponsorship.
- 74 percent have formal succession planning.
- 70 percent tie partner compensation to women’s advancement.
ODFamily and Ogletree Deakins Women’s Initiative (ODWIN), two of Ogletree Deakins’ Business Resource Groups, further facilitate the support the firm provides for women, caregivers, and families. ODWIN supports the firm’s women attorneys and bolsters an environment of inclusiveness by providing access to meaningful development opportunities, maximizing professional success and fulfilment, recognizing the efforts and dedication of women, and advancing them to leadership positions. ODFamily serves as a resource to attorneys and professional staff during times of transition and stress while allowing them to live authentically and bring their best selves to work. Utilizing compassion, connection, confidentiality, and communication, the group offers self-care support for those experiencing the recent birth of a child, adoption, gender transitions, marital stress/divorce, caregiving, returning from a leave of absence, and breastfeeding support for new mothers.
“At Ogletree Deakins, supporting women in the workplace and fostering an environment that allows them to have a healthy work-life balance and gives them opportunities to grow is a top priority,” said Kelly Hughes, co-chair of ODFamily. “We are thrilled that these initiatives have been recognized by Seramount as we continue to strive to empower women attorneys.”
About the Methodology
Seramount’s 2021 Best Law Firms for Women application includes more than 300 questions about attorney demographics at different levels, schedule flexibility, paid time off and parental leaves, and development and retention of women. This year, in light of COVID-19, several questions were added about the success of working from home for lawyers.
About Ogletree Deakins
Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Premier client service, as outlined in the firm’s Client Pledge, is one of the firm’s top priorities and a cornerstone of its core values. U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” has named Ogletree Deakins a “Law Firm of the Year” for 10 consecutive years. In 2021, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Litigation – Labor & Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 900 attorneys located in 53 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, from small businesses to Fortune 50 companies. www.ogletree.com
About Seramount
Seramount is a strategic professional-services firm dedicated to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Over four decades, partnering with some of the most iconic companies in the world, we’ve built a deep, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Our comprehensive DE&I toolkit includes actionable research and insights, membership, strategic guidance and consulting, and inspiring events, meeting each client’s needs no matter where they are on their journey, and guiding them along an ever-changing landscape. Seramount has empowered more than 450 organizations to realize the business benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion. Learn more at www.seramount.com.