National Magazine Recognizes Firm’s Innovative Policies, Commitment to Advancing Women Attorneys and Dedication to Women-Oriented Causes
BOSTON–LAWFUEL – The Law Firm Newswire – Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. has been named a Best Law Firm for Women by Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm. The AmLaw 100 firm was honored for its commitment to attracting, retaining and promoting women lawyers, innovative policies and benefits, involvement in pro bono efforts and demonstrated appreciation for work-life balance issues.
Mintz Levin has a long history of recruiting and actively supporting the advancement of women lawyers as well as attorneys of color. The firm elected its first female partner in 1971 and has been recognized by The American Lawyer as exceeding the national average of female partners.
“Long before work-life issues made headlines, Mintz Levin appreciated the unique challenges facing professional women and the need to help people blend their personal and professional lives,” said Chérie Kiser, Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office, a member of the firm’s Policy Committee, Chair of the Diversity Committee, Chair of the Communications Practice Group and a mother of two.
“The firm has consistently led the way in its commitment to recruiting, retaining and advancing women attorneys and set an industry standard for policies and benefits aimed at supporting working parents and diversity generally,” she added. “We are extremely proud to be recognized by Working Mother magazine for the firm’s long-practiced, important and necessary efforts to promote and retain women.”
Women Serving in Leadership
Today, women partners lead numerous practice groups within Mintz Levin and nearly half of all attorneys at the firm are women. Among those serving in leadership roles in addition to Ms. Kiser:
Ann-Ellen Hornidge is a Member of the firm’s Policy Committee and has practiced in its Public Finance Section since 1980.
Rosemary Allen is the Vice President for Professional Development and Manager of the Intellectual Property Section.
Hope Foster is a Member of the firm’s Policy Committee and former Manager of the Health Care Section.
Susan Cohen heads the firm’s Immigration Section, which she founded.
Susan Finegan, a Member of the firm’s Litigation Section, serves as the Chair of the Pro Bono Committee and focuses exclusively on managing the firm’s pro bono efforts.
Megan Gates, a Member in the firm’s Corporate Section, is Co-Chair of the firm’s Securities Practice Group.
Kim Marrkand, a Member of firm’s Litigation Section, is Chair of the firm’s Insurance/ Reinsurance Practice Group.
Lena Hodge heads the Corporate Practice in the firm’s London office.
Deborah Daccord and Karen Lovitch, Members practicing in the firm’s Health Section, are Co-Chairs of the firm’s New Associate Hiring Committee.
Innovative Policies and Benefits
Mintz Levin was among the first law firms nationwide to introduce part-time and other flexible work arrangements designed to help all lawyers manage work and family responsibilities and other interests. Mintz Levin approved the first flexible work arrangement for a woman in 1984.
For decades, Mintz Levin employees have worked widely varied reduced and/or flexible hours and telecommuting schedules as well as participated in job sharing arrangements. Attorneys at every level have worked part-time and other flexible schedules and several associates and counsel have been elevated to partner status while working part-time.
In addition, the firm provides numerous benefits to assist attorneys in blending family and work responsibilities. The firm offers backup childcare and generous parenting leaves: 12 weeks of fully paid leave for birth mothers and eight weeks of fully paid leave for fathers and non-birth mothers. Attorneys may take four weeks of paid vacation time after their paid leave and may also take an extended unpaid parenting leave of up to one year, during which they may continue to participate in the firm’s health insurance plan. The firm also extends its benefits to spousal equivalents or domestic partners.
Commitment to Women-Oriented Causes
Since 1990, trained attorneys and paraprofessionals in several Mintz Levin offices have represented hundreds of domestic violence and sexual assault victims who seek protective orders and other legal remedies each year. In addition to representing individual clients, the firm has provided national and statewide legislative and amicus brief advocacy on behalf of statewide and national coalitions. The firm also represents a variety of nonprofits dedicated to eradicating domestic violence in corporate, employment and governance matters.
Mintz Levin also acts as general counsel to the Washington, D.C.-based National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), an organization dedicated to ensuring that legislation and public policy are responsive to the needs of victims of domestic violence, and the NNEDV Fund, its sister non-profit organization. Mintz Levin provides a wide range of legal support to NNEDV and the NNEDV Fund, including corporate affairs, contract negotiation and, most prominently, litigation support in the various adversarial proceedings in which NNEDV is involved.
In addition, Mintz Levin attorneys participate in the Battered Immigrant Women’s Project and WEAVE, which assist battered immigrant women and children on a pro bono basis in obtaining immigrant status under the Violence Against Women Act.
About Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers
Working Mother, a national magazine for career women reaching nearly 3 million readers and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm advising attorneys and legal employers on retaining and promoting women, surveyed the practices of U.S. law firms with 100 or more lawyers. Questions asked included those about the employment of women, policies for working parents, female representation, women’s initiatives, workplace culture, networking, flexibility, mentoring, compensation, partnership and advancement.
The 2007 Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women list is featured in the September 2007 issue of Working Mother.
About Mintz Levin
Mintz Levin is an AmLaw 100 law firm with offices in the US and the UK. The firm has exceptional depth in a broad range of practice areas, but our clients recognize that what sets us apart from other law firms is our industry focus. By truly understanding business drivers and industry trends, we are able to provide our clients with more than just legal advice. We provide legal solutions to our clients’ business issues. Since 1933, our lawyers have represented entrepreneurs, emerging growth companies, government agencies, and leaders in primary industries that include Life Sciences/Biotechnology; Technology & Communications; Energy & Clean Technology; Financial Services & Insurance; Healthcare; Real Estate, Hospitality & Construction; and Retail & Consumer Products. Our practical knowledge combined with our industry expertise enables us to provide our clients with enterprise legal advice that gives their business a competitive advantage in the marketplace. For detailed information on the firm we invite you to visit www.mintz.com.
