Women in Law Empowerment Forum Awards Stoel Rives with Gold Standard Certification for 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. — Stoel Rives, an AmLaw 200 firm, has received Women in Law Empowerment Forum’s (WILEF) 2023 Gold Standard Certification, marking the 12th year the firm has made the select list. Stoel Rives is one of only 28 U.S. law firms to meet the certification requirements.

“I believe I can safely speak for everyone at the firm in saying it makes us all proud to work for an organization that has done what it takes to receive an honor of this nature for twelve years,” said Karen O’Connor , chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. “We commend WILEF for its work in shining the light on this issue of representation, and though we know we are never finished in our efforts to build diversity at the firm, the certification is concrete validation of what we have done to date.”

To receive WILEF Gold Standard Certification for 2023, a firm with more than 300 attorneys must meet the first two criterion listed and at least two of the remainder:

• Women account for at least 25% of equity partners or, alternatively, 40% or more of attorneys who became equity partners during the past twelve months.
• Women of color represent at least 10% of women equity partners or, alternatively, women who are LGBT represent at least 4% of women equity partners.
• Women represent at least 20% of firm chairs and U.S. office managing partners.
• Women make up at least 25% of the firm’s primary governance committee.
• Women represent at least 25% of the firm’s compensation committee.
• Women represent at least 20% of the top half of equity partners in terms of compensation.

Stoel Rives is one of only 16 firms to meet all six criteria.