December 8, 2011 (Mountain View, CA) – Fenwick & West LLP is pleased to announce its top rating on The Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2012 Corporate Equality Index. For the third consecutive year, Fenwick received a perfect score of 100 and was designated one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality."
"As innovators in the legal profession, Fenwick continues to dedicate a great deal of effort towards evolving its policies, practices and programs to meet the needs of its employees," stated Michael Shuster, Co-Chair of Fenwick's Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Partner in the Intellectual Property Group. "We take a great deal of pride in providing a safe and supportive environment for our LGBT attorneys and staff, and it is an honor to be recognized as a leader in our field by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation."
Diversity has been a core component of Fenwick's culture since the firm's formation in 1972. In 2001, Fenwick established a formal Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which engages in initiatives such as the Pride Law Fund, internal mentoring programs and retreats for minority and women attorneys and promotes the firm’s commitments to diversity-related groups.
The 10th annual Human Rights Campaign survey rated over 600 businesses on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workplace benefits and policies. The survey examined the participating businesses' employment policies, benefits, organizational LGBT aptitude, responsible citizenship and public commitment to external LGBT efforts. Additional points were earned for employers that offered equivalent spousal and same-sex partner benefits as well as transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage. Each company received a score from zero to 100 based upon their corporate policies and input from practice areas including human resources, diversity, legal, marketing and corporate relations.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation selects its participating businesses from several resources, including Forbes magazine's list of the 200 largest privately owned firms, the Fortune 1000 and the AmLaw 200. Private employers with more than 500 full-time employees may also request inclusion.
Established in 1972, Fenwick & West works closely with clean technology, life sciences and other technology companies that are changing the world through innovation. The firm has more than 30 years of experience crafting innovative solutions to the business challenges that arise at the intersection of technology and the law. Fenwick & West clients, who range from start-up ventures to global enterprises, value our attorneys' deep industry experience and understanding of their technologies. The firm is ranked by Minority Law Journal as one of the top ten most diverse law firms in the United States.