For the seventh year in a row, Fredrikson & Byron was named one of the “50 Best Law Firms for Women” by Working Mother magazine. Founded in 2007, this award recognizes firms using best practices in retaining and promoting women lawyers. The annual list recognizes 50 U.S. law firms for their policies in the advancement of women and for the implementation of work-life balance initiatives. In the report, Fredrikson & Byron is the third highest nationally ranked law firm by percentage of women equity partners, at 35 percent. Fredrikson is also the highest ranked Minneapolis headquartered law firm in the report for percentage of women equity partners.
“We are proud to be consistently recognized for our long-standing efforts to provide a balanced work environment that allows our attorneys to be successful,” said Mary S. Ranum, chair of the firm’s Board of Directors.
For the first time, Working Mother worked in collaboration with the ABA Journal as a knowledge partner.
Highlights
- Over the last 10 years, the percentage of female equity partners has increased to 20 percent from 16 percent and female non-equity partners has grown to 30 percent from 22 percent at the Best Law Firms. This year, the Best Law Firms employ more female equity partners (20 percent) than the national average (18 percent).* Source: National Association of Women Lawyers.
- Among their Top 10 rainmakers, 83 percent of the top firms have at least one woman.
- Since last year, the number of paid weeks of maternity leave offered at the Best Law Firms increased one week to an average of 16 weeks. Yet the average number of weeks of maternity leave taken by lawyer moms stayed the same, at 14. An average of 8 weeks of paid paternity leave was offered with an average of 4 weeks taken.
- A majority (53 percent) of all lawyers at the top firms report working remotely, the most popular flex option among both male and female lawyers at every level, which is offered by all of the winning firms.
Subha V. Barry, senior vice president & managing director, Working Mother Media, says, “This is the tenth year Working Mother has recognized the Best Law Firms for Women which heralds U.S. law firms that create and use best practices in retaining and promoting women lawyers. We are proud to illuminate the accomplishments of the firms leading the way in helping women advance and achieve a more balanced work life.”
“The ABA Journal is delighted to be part of the Best Law Firms for Women project that explores in depth what’s really working at law firms to fill the diversity gap and ensure women are getting the support and resources they need to advance,” says Molly McDonough, editor & publisher, The ABA Journal. The ABA Journal’s companion feature will appear in October.
Meredith Bodgas, editor-in-chief of Working Mother, says, “The Best Law Firms for Women are not only setting the standard for the modern-day law firm in supporting flexible work arrangements and offering generous paid leave but also ensuring that lawyers who take advantage of these programs are not excluded from the partnership track.”
Working Mother Media (WMM), a division of Bonnier Corporation (bonnier.com), publishes Working Mother magazine and its companion website, workingmother.com. The Working Mother Research Institute (workingmother.com/wmri), the National Association for Female Executives and Diversity Best Practices are also units within WMM. WMM’s mission is to serve as a champion of culture change. Working Mother magazine reaches more than 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers.
Fredrikson & Byron is a 275-attorney law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Bismarck, Des Moines, Fargo, St. Paul, Saltillo, Mexico, and Shanghai, China. Fredrikson & Byron has a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet”. Our attorneys bring business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to work with clients, and operate as business advisors and strategic partners, as well as legal counselors. More information about the firm is available at www.fredlaw.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and on Twitter @FredriksonLaw.
Media Contact: Kelly Griffith, 612.492.7514, kgriffith@fredlaw.com.