Press Release
June 8, 2017

Holland & Knight Earns Gold Standard Recertification from Women in Law Empowerment Forum for Seventh Consecutive Year

MIAMI (June 8, 2017) - For the seventh year in a row, Holland & Knight earned Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for its achievement in providing women attorneys with opportunities for financial success and positions at the highest level of firm leadership.

WILEF grants Gold Standard status to major 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.

In order to merit this honor, law firms must meet four of the following seven criteria:

  • 20 percent of equity partners or, alternatively, 33 percent or more of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past 12 months are women
  • 15 percent of firm and U.S. branch office heads are women equity partners
  • 20 percent of the firm’s governance committee are women equity partners
  • 20 percent of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women equity partners
  • 25 percent of the firm’s practice group/department heads are women equity partners
  • 15 percent of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women
  • 7 percent of women equity partners are women of color or 3.5 percent of women equity partners are LGBT

This year 44 law firms have been awarded the Gold Standard Certification, which represents a significant increase from the 31 firms that earned the distinction last year. Holland & Knight is one of only 14 law firms to have been awarded Gold Standard Certification every year since WILEF began the award in 2011.

“WILEF honors law firms whose advancement of women stands out,” said Elizabeth “Betiayn” Tursi, WILEF’s global chair.

Ms. Tursi said she was particularly pleased that the results so far this year are ahead of last year. “It demonstrates that women are an integral part of success in today’s challenging environment, which these firms recognize,” she stated.

About WILEF: WILEF is the leading forum for the advancement of women in law, and awards the annual Gold Standard certification to large law firms that meet the organization’s exacting standards for women in positions of power. With chapters in New York, Washington D.C., 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. www.wilef.com

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