Women in Law Empowerment Forum Awards Stoel Rives with Gold Standard Certification for the Fifth Consecutive Year

Stoel Rives LLP, a U.S. law firm, is pleased to announce that it has received a Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum ("WILEF") for the fifth year in a row. WILEF is a leading organization for women in law dedicated to assisting women assume leadership roles within the National Law Journal 250 and Fortune 1000 legal departments and within their respective communities. The certification process focuses on whether women were significantly represented in top leadership positions and among the top-earning attorneys. Of several hundred law firms solicited, Stoel Rives was one of only 44 nationwide to meet the certification requirements. Fewer than half of the nation’s largest law firms listed in the AmLaw 100 rankings received WILEF certification.

“I’m very proud to be associated with a firm that has achieved Gold Certification recognition from WILEF every year since the survey’s inception,” said Tim Taylor, chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “Stoel Rives strongly believes in the need to empower women to achieve successful careers. As confirmed by our certification, I’m pleased that we as a firm are doing our part to promote this important objective.”

For WILEF 2015 Certification, the qualification standards require that the number of women equity partners at a firm meet at least four of the following criteria:

• Women account for at least 20% of equity partners or alternatively, 33% or more of attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months.
• Women represent at least 10% of firm chairs and office managing partners.
• Women make up at least 20% of the firm's primary governance committee.
• Women represent at least 20% of the firm's compensation committee.
• Women make up at least 25% of practice group leaders or department heads.
• Women represent at least 10% of the top half of the most highly compensated partners.