One N.J. firm honored as ‘gold standard’ by Women in Law Empowerment Forum

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Men and women should be paid the same for the same amount of work.Pretty straightforward.

But Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno spoke just last Wednesday at the third annual Women Entrepreneurship Week conference at Montclair State University about how often such major disparities can be overlooked.

“I’m a lawyer. And I just read the New Jersey Law Journal this week. Inside — because they wouldn’t dare put this on the front page — it said ‘Male Partners at New Jersey Law Firms Make 44 percent More Than Women Partners,’” Guadagno said. “This frightens me in the 21st century that this could be happening right under my nose, as an attorney for 30 years admitted to the practice of law in New Jersey, knowing all the women that I know in New Jersey who practice law.

“It is offensive to me that we have so much further to go.”

The study the lieutenant governor was referring to, released Oct. 12 by the legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, found that male partners at large, national law firms earn, on average, $949,000, while female partners earn $659,000.

Such a revelation could seriously impact the ability of law firms to recruit top talent among women lawyers, as well as clients who are increasingly concerned about hiring fair and diverse firms.

That’s why the Women in Law Empowerment Forum, which educates and provides networking opportunities for women at law firms, has released a “Gold Standard Certification” for the last six years for those law firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers that successfully demonstrate how women are actively represented in both executive and leadership roles.

McCarter & English in Newark was the only law firm headquartered in New Jersey to meet the requirements for the 2016 Gold Standard Certification. It has, along with only 11 other firms nationwide, achieved gold standard certification for each of the six consecutive years that WILEF has been awarding it.

Other national law firms that achieved the certification with a presence in New Jersey include: Ballard Spahr (Cherry Hill); Jackson Lewis (Tinton Falls, Morristown); Littler (Newark); Morgan, Lewis & Bockius (Princeton); and Reed Smith (Princeton).

The firms all met four or more of the following criteria:

• Women account for at least 20 percent of equity partners or at least 33 percent of the attorneys elevated to equity partner within the last twelve months.
• Women represent at least 15 percent of firm chairs, chief executive officers and/or office managing partners.
• Women make up at least 20 percent of the firm’s primary governance committee.
• Women represent 20 percent or more of the firm’s compensation committee.
• Women make up at least 25 percent of practice group leaders or department heads.
• Women represent at least 15 percent of the top half of the most highly compensated partners.

Other law firms who wish to be included in the 2016 Gold Standard Certification must submit an application by Dec. 12 to be considered.