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

Portland, Ore. — Stoel Rives LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has received its eighth consecutive Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum ("WILEF"). WILEF is a leading organization for women in law dedicated to assisting women in the largest law firms and corporate law departments in advancing their careers by developing a sense of empowerment and becoming leaders.

The certification process focuses on whether women were significantly represented in a firm’s top leadership positions, as equity partners and among its top-earning attorneys. Of several hundred law firms solicited, Stoel Rives is one of only 42 law firms nationwide to meet the certification requirements, which saw the criteria reconfigured for 2018, and one of only 11 to be certified all eight years since the inception of the award.

“Receiving this certification from WILEF for the eighth time is a much-appreciated validation of the firm’s efforts to ensure diversity in our workplace culture,” said Tim Taylor, chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “It is always gratifying to receive recognition of our firm’s long-term commitment to promoting women lawyers to positions of leadership and ownership.”

To receive WILEF Gold Standard Certification for 2018, a firm must meet the first criterion listed plus at least three of the remainder:

• Women account for at least 20 percent of equity partners or alternatively, 33% or more of attorneys who became equity partners during the past twelve months.
• Women represent at least 15 percent of firm chairs and U.S. office managing partners.
• Women make up at least 20 percent of the firm's primary governance committee.
• Women represent at least 20 percent of the firm's compensation committee.
• Women represent at least 15 percent of the top half of equity partners in terms of compensation.
• Women of color represent at least 7 percent or women who are LGBT represent 3.5 percent of equity partners.

Stoel Rives is one of fifteen law firms to meet all six criteria.