Firm Recognized Among Fortune 1000 and American Lawyer 200
for Supporting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Equality
CHICAGO – Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that the firm received a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2008 Corporate Equality Index and Best Places to Work Survey. The firm also was recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality.”
The HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index report, released each fall for the last six
years, provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees, consumers and investors. HRC invites Fortune magazine’s list of 1,000 publicly traded businesses and American Lawyer magazine’s list of top 200 revenue-grossing law firms to participate in the Index.
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“We are extremely proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation with a 100 percent rating on its Corporate Equality Index,” said Maureen A. McGinnity, the firm’s chief diversity partner. “We value a firmwide commitment to a range of diversity initiatives, including the implementation of policies that promote equal opportunities for attorneys and staff regardless of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.”
This is the second year that Foley has participated in the Index, and the firm raised its ranking from 95 percent in 2006 to 100 percent this year. Foley earned high marks for creating a GLBT employee resource group and a 24-person firmwide diversity committee. The firm also was recognized for its policies and programs that support GLBT equality in the workplace, including health and dental insurance benefits for domestic partners and transgender employees, engaging in respectful marketing and promotion of GLBT events and development of non-discrimination policies in hiring and training.
This year marked the second time that the AmLaw 100 list of top law firms was invited to take part in the Index and the first time that the AmLaw 200 was invited. Law firms experienced tremendous growth this year in their scores, jumping from a total of 13 firms with perfect ratings to 30 firms. The focus on diversity within law firms and increasing standards of corporate clients has been a driving force in improvements in GLBT workplace equality.
In addition to its rating on the HRC Index, Foley recently was named a 2007 Best Law Firm for Women by Working Mother magazine and national consulting firm Flex-Time Lawyers LLC in recognition of its commitment to the retention and advancement of women. The firm also was selected as one of Milwaukee MetroParent magazine’s 2007 Family Friendly Companies for policies that allow attorneys and professional staff to balance work and family. For the eighth consecutive year, the firm was named to Orlando Sentinel’s Top 100 Companies for Working Families list, ranking second among firms with 249 or fewer employees in Central Florida.
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The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest advocacy group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans, uses lists of the largest and most successful U.S. employers as a basis for inviting businesses to participate in the Corporate Equality Index. The HRC Corporate Equality Index survey is the primary source of information for the Corporate Equality Index rating. The survey also helps gauge trends and best practices among all businesses or in particular industries. To see a copy of the full report, visit http://www.hrc.org/cei.
Foley & Lardner LLP provides the full range of corporate legal counsel. Our attorneys understand today’s most complex business issues, including corporate governance, securities enforcement, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property counseling and litigation, outsourcing and information technology, labor and employment, and tax. The firm offers total solutions in the automotive, emerging technologies, energy, entertainment and media, financial services, food, golf and resort services, insurance, health care, life sciences, nanotechnology, and sports industries. The firm’s Web site can be found at www.foley.com.
