Covington Achieves 2020 WILEF Gold Standard Certification in U.S. and UK

Covington Achieves 2020 WILEF Gold Standard Certification in U.S. and UK

June 25, 2020

WASHINGTON—The Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) has named Covington to its 2020 Gold Standard Certification list in both the United States and United Kingdom. This is the sixth year in which the firm has been recognized in the U.S. and the first for both countries.

WILEF grants Gold Standard status to major law firms that meet objective criteria concerning the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners. Covington met all the requirements for Gold Standard Certification in both the U.S. and UK.

“We are grateful that WILEF continues to recognize our efforts to increase the gender balance of our partnership and management teams throughout the firm,” said partner Emily Henn, a member of the firm’s Management and Executive Committees. “While this is confirmation of Covington’s longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, it is also a reminder that we are stronger when we are more inclusive. By recruiting, retaining, developing, and promoting a diverse group of lawyers, we improve the quality of our own workplace and advance the interests of our clients, our practice, and the wider legal profession.”

For 2020, U.S. Gold Standard Certification, a meaningful percentage means that the firm satisfies the requirements that:

• 20% of equity partners or 33% of the lawyers becoming equity partners during the past twelve months are women and at least three of the following five criteria:
• 15% of the firm and US branch office heads are women
• 20% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
• 20% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women
• 15% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
• 10% of women equity partners are women of color, or 4% of women equity partners are LGBT

For the WILEF UK Gold Standard, firms needed to meet three of the five following criteria:

• 20% of equity partners or 33% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past twelve months are women
• 20% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women
• 20% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women
• 15% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
• 10% of women equity partners are non-white, or 4% of women equity partners are LGBT

With chapters in New York, Washington DC, Chicago, London, Texas, Boston, and California, WILEF is the premier organization for women in law dedicated to helping women in the largest law firms and corporate law departments advance their careers by developing a sense of empowerment and becoming leaders.