Baker Donelson formed its Women's Initiative Committee to (1) substantially improve the recruitment and retention of women attorneys; (2) increase the representation of women in leadership positions at the Firm; (3) heed the call of our clients to provide a more diversified attorney team; and (4) improve career development for its women attorneys, thereby enhancing the economic viability of the Firm.
While women attorneys do the same work as their male counterparts, they may approach this work with a different perspective. Baker Donelson feels that its women attorneys should have a forum to address and discuss the unique challenges that female professionals face in maximizing their economic viability and leadership potential, balancing family and personal goals, and providing and benefiting from mentoring relationships. The Women's Initiative also works closely with the office recruiting committees to ensure that Baker Donelson makes available professional opportunities for women and attracts the best talent for these positions.
The Baker Donelson Women's Initiative seeks to:
- Increase recruitment of women lawyers to increase their numbers at all levels and thus increase the number of women in the pipeline to shareholder status.
- Develop greater gender diversity in leadership positions and client representation.
- Conduct professional development targeted at women attorneys.
- Create meaningful opportunities for mentoring and networking.
Our women lawyers occupy leadership roles across the Firm, serving on the board of directors, as office managing shareholders, as practice group chairs and as heads of committees. Women make up 16.5% of the current board (compared to 15% of women in those roles nationally) and currently, 20% of Baker Donelson's shareholders are women. For the second year in a row, we were named one of the country's top law firms for women by Multicultural Law magazine in 2009. And finally, the Firm was ranked by Law360 among the top 100 law firms with the highest concentration of female partners in 2009.
All new female attorneys are offered the opportunity to work with a female mentor to help them navigate the unique issues facing females in today's law firm environment. Baker Donelson also encourages its attorneys to be active outside of the Firm. Our female attorneys are members and leaders of many organizations dedicated to the advancement and development of women in the legal and business worlds. Baker Donelson attorneys have served in the following organizations as members and officers:
- American Bar Association Women Rainmakers – Past Chair, Members
- American Health Lawyer's Association – First woman President
- Association for Women Attorneys – Members
- Commercial Real Estate Women Network – Member and Industry Research Subcommittee Member
- Defense Research Institute – Member of DRI Young Lawyers Women's Initiative subcommittee
- Georgia Association of Women Lawyers – Members
- International Women's Forum – Member
- Memphis Regional Chamber – Board Member
- Mississippi Women Lawyers Association – Members Nashville CABLE – Chair of the Women on Boards Committee
- National Association of Women Lawyers – Member
- Samaritan Counseling Centers of the Mid-South – Board Member
- Southeast Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women – President-Elect
- Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women – Corresponding Secretary, Members
- Women's Healthcare Executives Network – Members
- Women's Health Network, Greater New Orleans – Charter Member
- Women's International Shipping and Trade Association – Member
- Women's Leadership Initiative of the United Way, Greater New Orleans Chapter – Charter Member, Founder
In 2008, the Firm introduced BakerReads, a videoconference book club geared toward offering professional development opportunities for all women attorneys. Since then, five sessions have been offered to Baker Donelson attorneys in all of our offices, led by women attorneys.
Finally, Baker Donelson works to support women's health issues in its major markets and in addition to establishing Susan G. Komen race teams in each office city where a race is held, the Women's Initiative has also sponsored Go Red for Heart and Dress for Success fundraisers in several cities.
Events
Since its inception, the Women's Initiative has worked to develop and hold a number of networking and professional development events throughout our offices.
Continuing Legal Education Programs for In-house Counsel
For the fourth year, the Firm presented continuing legal education programs to women clients in our Memphis and Nashville offices in 2009. Receptions followed the presentations in each office. This year's topics were:
What to Expect When You're Suspected: What Every In-House Attorney Should Know Before the Government Comes Knocking - Nashville
Internal Investigations and Litigation Cost Control: Ethical Considerations for Corporate Counsel - Memphis
Networking Events - 2009
In 2009, the Women's Initiative hosted a number of professional networking and social events for women business leaders and attorneys in several of our markets:
- Wellbeing for Women – Monroe Carell Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt tour and lecture - Nashville (June)
- Women and Wine: Summer Art Soiree – Baton Rouge (June)
- Viking Cooking School programs and receptions – Memphis (July) and Jackson (October)
- Wealth, Wellness and Wisdom for Women – New Orleans (September)
- Public House Wine Tasting – Chattanooga (October)
- Southern Automotive Conference reception – A Chocolate Affair – Nashville (October)
- Classic Cars and Cocktails – Birmingham (November)
- Wine Tasting – Baton Rouge (November)
- Wine and Artists Reception – New Orleans (December)