Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers Recognize Farella Braun + Martel as a 2008 Best Law Firm for Women
SAN FRANCISCO (August 12, 2008) - Working Mother magazine, the authoritative source for career mothers, and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm advising attorneys and legal employers on work/life balance, have named Farella Braun + Martel LLP a 2008 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firm for Women. In order to effect change, the two have partnered for the second year in a row to recognize 50 firms that have redefined the standards of success by creating a workplace that encourages the retention and advancement of women.
"Today nearly half of law school graduates are women. Law firms need to make a fundamental shift in their policies by instituting female and family-friendly benefits as Farella Braun + Martel has done," said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. "We hope that by recognizing Farella, who has already moved the needle, a paradigm shift will follow."
"We hope other law firms will take notice of Farella Braun + Martel's commitment to change and competition will drive more creative ways to enhance work/life balance and improve the status of women in the profession," said Deborah Epstein Henry, Founder and President, Flex-Time Lawyers LLC.
A few highlights of Farella Braun + Martel's family-friendly policies are: part-time working policies that allow for a reduced hours schedule; flexible schedules that allow both men and women to meet the demands of their own unique situations; paid childcare leave; paid sabbatical policy for partners and associates; subsidized emergency dependent care; pre-tax dependent day care flexible spending accounts; optional spouse and child life insurance; college savings plan (529) direct deposit; concierge service; employee assistance plan; and technology allowances for remote access. Farella also has an active Women's Initiative Steering Committee, which provides professional, personal and business development opportunities for women attorneys, including networking and educational opportunities. Lawyer moms and moms-to-be may also elect to participate in an internal lunch group known as Moms Making It Work.
"Farella Braun + Martel has always prided itself on being ahead of the curve when it comes to working creatively to find ways to meet the needs of our working parents," said Steve Lowenthal, chairman of Farella Braun + Martel. "We are thrilled to be recognized once again by Working Mother for our efforts - but we're even more pleased that the working mothers in our offices and their families recognize our efforts."
Farella Braun + Martel is profiled in the August/September issue of Working Mother and at http://www.workingmother.com/ and http://www.flextimelawyers.com/. The firm will be honored at a luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental in New York on September 15. That morning, Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers will hold a forum to report for the first time the findings of their national research on the trends and share best practices of work/life balance and women in the legal profession.
Methodology: The 2008 Best Law Firms for Women application was developed in a partnership between Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. Firms with at least 50 lawyers were eligible to apply and the application included detailed questions about the issues that are most important to the retention and promotion of female lawyers. Farella Braun + Martel was selected based on responses to an application measuring areas such as workforce profile, family-friendly benefits and policies, flexibility, leadership, compensation, advancement and retention of women.
About Working Mother Media
Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Working Mother Media includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion culture change. For more information, please visit http://www.workingmother.com/.
About Flex-Time Lawyers LLC
Flex-Time Lawyers LLC® is a national consulting firm advising lawyers, law firms, bar associations, law schools and corporations on work/life balance, business development, women's initiatives, re-entry of comeback professionals and the retention and promotion of women. It hosts a membership organization with chapters in New York and Philadelphia, offering networking opportunities, support, career guidance, education and information sharing to effect change. Flex-Time Lawyers LLC is a resource to the press and legal community at large on work/life balance and women's issues and also provides recruiting services. It has been covered extensively in the national and legal press, including The New York Times, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, National Public Radio, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, and numerous others. For more information, please visit http://www.flextimelawyers.com/.
About Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Farella Braun + Martel represents clients throughout the United States and abroad in sophisticated business transactions and high-stakes commercial, civil and criminal litigation. Founded in 1962, we are headquartered in San Francisco and maintain an office in the Napa Valley that is focused on the wine industry. We are known for our imaginative legal solutions and the dynamism and intellectual creativity of our lawyers. With our unwavering service ethic and interdisciplinary team approach, we are committed to advancing our clients' objectives in the most effective, coordinated and efficient manner.
Contact:
Cheryl Loof
Farella Braun + Martel
415.954.4433 / [email protected]
