More than 20 large Sacramento area law firms have embarked on a project which will revamp hiring and retention practices to encourage the advancement of women.

The effort is the brainchild of the Sacramento No Glass Ceiling Task Force, a volunteer standing committee comprised of leaders in Sacramento’s business and legal communities, including local law school deans, law firm managing partners, and corporate general counsel. Members of the Task Force include:

• Grace J. Bergen, Lori Okun and Patricia Sturdevant, Women Lawyers of Sacramento

• Jack Laufenberg, President, Sacramento County Bar Association

• Dana Flanagan-McBeth, Wiley W. Manuel Bar Association of Sacramento County

• Daniela Almeida, Federal Bar Association

• Richard Clark, Sacramento Lawyers for the Equality of Gays and Lesbians

• Ruthe Ashley, State Bar Board of Governors and Assistant Dean at Pacific McGeorge

• Darrel Woo, Asian Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento

The Task Force created a set of commitments called the “No Glass Ceiling Initiative,” based on a similar successful program in San Francisco. The key elements of the No Glass Ceiling Initiative include:

1. Involvement of women attorneys in all aspects of leadership and senior management positions by January 1, 2008;
2. Representation of women at the shareholder/ partnership level in law firms by January 1, 2008. The plan sets a target of 15 percent women partners in firms with 5 to 10 attorneys; 20 percent women partners in firms with 11 to 29 attorneys; and 25 percent women partners in firms with 30 or more attorneys;
3. A pro-rata increase in the percentage of women participating in management. For public sector and corporate legal departments, the goal is to achieve at least 25 percent women representation in management by January 1, 2008.
4. Development of objective and unbiased criteria and procedures for evaluation and promotion of women to management positions;
5. Equal retention rates of men and women attorneys, especially in the third through eighth years of practice;
6. Adoption of part-time and flex time policies for all attorneys, including partners;
7. Adoption by January 1, 2008 of a parental leave program allowing either parent - men or women - up to 12 weeks off to care for a child;
8. Reduction of gender bias through better communication;
9. Increased business and professional development for women employees; and
10. Awareness by employees that senior management of the organization embraces the above Commitments.

The Task Force has sent the No Glass Ceiling Initiative to all Sacramento-based law firms and in-house law departments with 5 or more attorneys, encouraging them to execute the Commitments. “The underlying purpose of this pledge is to better serve clients while improving business profitability and job satisfaction,” said Grace Bergen, past-president of Women Lawyers of Sacramento, who led the effort. “Studies show that businesses that have a significant percentage of women in leadership roles have higher rates of profit because of lower attorney turnover. According to the American Bar Association, the cost of recruiting and training a new associate is double the associates annual salary. In large firms, this is $250,000 or more.”

The Task Force will publicize the names of all firms that sign onto the initiative, hoping to affect a firm’s ability to attract clients, and to compete for the top- ranked graduating law students. The law firms who have currently signed on to the No Glass Ceiling Initiative, and their point-person in this effort, include:

Downey Brand, LLP, Stephen J. Meyer, Managing Partner

McDonough Holland & Allen, Marcia Augsberger

Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Carol Livingston

First American Exchange Company, Nicole De Santis

Porter, Scott, Weiberg & Delehant, Nancy Sheehan and Jennifer Duggan

Ampac Fine Chemicals LLC, Margaret Hastings

DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, Matthew G. Jacobs

Gordon & Reese, LLP, Kathleen M. Rhoads, Managing Partner

Carlton DiSante & Freudenberger, LLP, Mark S. Spring

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, Julie Totten

Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, Keeva Coe

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Benjamin L. Webster, Managing Partner

Stay tuned for further developments.

July / August 2006