ATLANTA – June 2, 2023 – 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’s “Best Law Firms for Women & Diversity” 2023 list. Ogletree Deakins is among 50 firms that earned a spot in 2023. It is the firm’s seventh appearance on this list.
Seramount’s “Best Law Firms for Women & Diversity” list recognizes firms that utilize best practices in recruiting, retaining, promoting, and developing women lawyers and lawyers from underrepresented groups, including people of color. This year’s list shows growth in the representation of women lawyers across the board, with 42 percent of lawyers being women and 41 percent of women lawyers hired being women of color.
“I’m proud to expand our Best Law Firms for Women to include diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” said Subha V. Barry, President of Seramount. “From increasing representation of historically excluded talent to expanding upon their family-friendly benefits, our Best Law Firms are putting in the work necessary to build firm cultures where employees can thrive.”
Ogletree Deakins’ support for women and diverse attorneys is reflected in the firm’s eight affinity groups, which represent Asian, Black, Disability, Families/Caregivers, LatinX, LGBTQ+, Veterans/Military Families, and Women. Ogletree Deakins offers several formal mentoring programs. In 2022, ODWIN, the firm-wide women’s initiative, launched mentoring circles which bring together women attorneys of different experience levels and practice areas in small groups to discuss professional development, work-life balance, networking, and other career issues. In addition to mentoring initiatives, the firm offers paid parental/caregiver leave, has established reduced hours shareholder tracks, and has implemented thresholds to ensure diverse candidates are considered for leadership opportunities.
Ogletree Deakins’ statistics bolster the firm’s mission to provide an equitable and inclusive workplace. In 2022, more than 60 percent of the overall attorneys promoted and hired at the firm were women, including half of the equity shareholders.
“At Ogletree Deakins, promoting and supporting our women and diverse attorneys at all levels is a top priority, and we are proud to see the firm’s efforts recognized once again by Seramount,” said Matt Keen, managing shareholder of Ogletree Deakins. “We are committed to providing meaningful opportunities that ensure our women and diverse attorneys continue to thrive.”
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 12 consecutive years. In the 2023 edition, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its “Law Firm of the Year” in the Litigation – Labor & Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 950 attorneys located in 55 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including many of the Fortune 50 companies in the U.S. www.ogletree.com
About the Methodology
Seramount’s 2023 Best Law Firms for Women & Diversity application includes more than 300 questions about attorney demographics at different levels, flexibility, paid time off and parental leaves, and development and retention of women and people of color as well as those from other underrepresented groups. Questions about family-friendly benefits and mentoring and sponsorship participation are also included.