Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is pleased to announce that its London office has been awarded the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (“WILEF”) Gold Standard Certification 2023 in recognition of the firm’s commitment to supporting women in leadership roles.
This is the fifth consecutive year that the firm has achieved the certification after becoming the first UK firm to be awarded it in 2019. To be awarded the certification, UK law firms with 100 or more practicing lawyers must meet the following mandatory criteria:
- 20% of equity partners or, alternatively, 33% or more of the lawyers becoming equity partners in the last 12 months are women;
and at least two of the following:
- 20% of the firm’s governance committee are women equity partners;
- 20% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women equity partners;
- 15% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women; and
- 7% of women equity partners are women of colour or 3.5% of women equity partners are LGBT.
WFW exceeded all the criteria again this year.
WFW is proud of the number of women in key leadership roles at the firm, including numerous office and practice group heads and, notably, Managing Partner Lindsey Keeble, who in 2022 became the first woman to hold this position at WFW. The firm’s range of initiatives play a key role in supporting and retaining the exceptional talent of its female colleagues across the globe and include the global ‘We Further Women’ Network, the suite of benefits available to working parents and the recent signing of the Menopause Workplace Pledge.
Numerous female partners continue to achieve high-profile recognition as leaders in their field in IFLR 1000 Women Leaders 2023, The Lawyer Hot 100 and Euromoney Legal Media Group Asian Women in Business Law Awards.
Lindsey commented: “I am delighted that once again we have been achieved WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification. The work we do to ensure that women at WFW can flourish is unwavering and our We Further Women initiative plays a key role in enabling our female colleagues to develop their careers and excel. Whether this is through exchanging ideas and sharing challenges in a supportive and collaborative space or via engagement with clients through sector-focussed events and seminars that empower, educate and offer valuable opportunities to network and develop rewarding professional relationships”.
Senior Partner George Paleokrassas added: “WFW remains committed to empowering women and there is always more that can be done. We relish the opportunity to continue to develop and improve gender representation across the firm and to maintain a diverse and inclusive workforce across all areas of the firm, from our lawyers to business services staff”.
