Overview
(June 24, 2020, Washington, DC) — Steptoe has been named to the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) 2020 Gold Standard Certification list. This marks the fifth time in seven years that Steptoe has been recognized on the list.
The 2020 WILEF certification grants Gold Standard status to major firms that meet objective criteria concerning the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners. For 2020 Gold Standard Certification, a meaningful percentage means that the firm satisfies both the mandatory criterion that: 20% of equity partners or, alternatively, 33% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months are women.
Firms also had to meet at least three of the following five criteria: 15% of firm and US branch office heads are women; 20% of the firm's primary governance committee are women; 20% of the firm's compensation committee or its equivalent are women; 15% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women; 7% of women equity partners are women of color or 3.5% of women equity partners are LGBT.
Steptoe counts a number of women lawyers among its ranks, including in leadership. The firm's vice chair is a woman, a number of the firm's practice departments and management teams are headed by women, and five of the firm's nine offices are led or co-led by women. Additionally, the firm has a strong record of elevating women to the partnership. Over the past five years, women have comprised an average of 60% of the new partner classes.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.