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Yale Law Women’s much-anticipated annual report on top law firms for family friendliness and gender equality is finally out. This year, however in lieu of the simple top 10 firms, the annual list includes more categories, such as hiring practices, promotion, training, leadership, and so on.
The report, now in its 15th year, is created by a group of Yale law students and has long been a benchmark for law students looking for information about potential Biglaw firms’ commitments to gender equity.
“While women make up about half of the nation’s law school graduates, there is still a vast gender gap in the legal profession—especially at the partnership level of law firms,” reads the report.
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Yale Law Women developed the list from a survey sent to all law firms listed in the 2020 Vault 100. Almost half the law firms took place in the survey, which reflected data at U.S. offices.
The data was gathered before the coronavirus pandemic, which is creating a new challenge for law firms, the report said.
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“This year has been marked by tremendous tumult. COVID-19 has impacted our workplaces, our schools, our homes, and our families. The pandemic’s dramatic effect has underscored the need for inclusive policies and for workplaces that are flexible, empathetic, and supportive of their employees. We especially appreciate law firms’ participation in the survey during this difficult time. Law firms must assess the adequacy of their policies and reach for empathetic solutions to the new problems posed by COVID-19,” the report said.
“In the coming months, how the firms in this report respond to this crisis will influence the future of the industry. These firms should strive to respond equitably to questions including how to accommodate employees’ domestic responsibilities and health care needs and which employees they retain if layoffs become unavoidable.”
According to Yale Law Women, these are the top firms in the newly expanded categories:
| Top Firms for Hiring Practices |
| • Allen & Overy |
| • Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft |
| • Jenner & Block |
| • Linklaters |
| • Munger, Tolles & Olson |
| • Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati |
| Top Firms for Inclusion Initiatives |
| • Cahill Gordon & Reindel |
| • Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton |
| • Jenner & Block |
| • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison |
| • Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman |
| • Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz |
| Top Firms for Diverse Partnership: |
| • Morrison & Foerster |
| • Munger, Tolles & Olson |
| • Steptoe & Johnson |
| Top Firms for LGBTQ Representation: |
| • Allen & Overy |
| • Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft |
| • Jenner & Block |
| • Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton |
| Top Firms for Promotion Practices: |
| • Ballard Spahr |
| • Blank Rome |
| • White & Case |
| • Cravath, Swaine & Moore |
| • Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel |
| Top Firms for Women in Leadership: |
| • Latham & Watkins |
| • Morgan, Lewis & Bockius |
| • Ropes & Gray |
| • Sidley Austin |
| Top Firms for Flexible Work Options: |
| • Hogan Lovells US |
| • Littler Mendelson |
| • Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe |
| • Perkins Coie |
| Top Firms for Advancement for Part-Time Attorneys: |
| • Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel |
| • Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe |
| • Ropes & Gray |
| • Winston & Strawn |
| Top Firms for Parental & Caregiver Leave: |
| • Ballard Spahr |
| • Foley Hoag |
| • Kirkland & Ellis |
| Top Firms for Working Mothers & Family Planning: |
| • Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld |
| • Cravath, Swaine & Moore |
| • Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr |
“The firms recognized in this report are leaders in the industry,” said Anna Kaul, a rising third-year student and chair of the Yale Law Women top firms committee. “Responding to the pandemic with equity in mind will set an important example for other law firms.”
