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

Portland, Ore. — Stoel Rives LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has received its tenth consecutive Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum LLC (“WILEF”). WILEF is the premier organization dedicated to assisting women in the largest law firms and corporate law departments in advancing their careers by creating “a dialogue for the purpose of educating women in law on how to become leaders in the workplace and in the community by building, exercising and implementing a strong sense of empowerment.”

The certification process focuses on whether women were significantly represented at a firm in its top leadership positions, as equity partners and among its most highly compensated attorneys. Stoel Rives is one of only 48 U.S. law firms to meet the certification requirements and one of 23 law firms to meet all six criteria. Stoel Rives is one of 12 law firms to have been certified all ten years of the existence of the award.

“We have taken a number of steps in the last few years to increase the diversity and inclusivity of our workforce – our participation in the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, Move the Needle Fund and Mansfield Rule Law Certification Program, among others,” said Tim Taylor, chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. “Receiving the Gold Standard Certification from WILEF for 10 years is the icing on the cake in showing the firm has been moving and continues to move in the right direction.”

To receive WILEF Gold Standard Certification for 2020, 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 percent or more of attorneys who became equity partners during the past 12 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 10 percent or women who are LGBT represent four percent of equity partners.