Ballard Spahr ranks sixth among all major law firms nationwide for percentage of equity partners who are female, according to a recent report by The American Lawyer.
The ranking by the monthly publication—a leading national source of legal news, analysis, and information—is the latest in a recent series recognizing Ballard Spahr for its efforts and achievements toward gender equality, part of the firm's focus on diversity and inclusion. The firm has 25.5 percent female equity partners compared to the average of 16.7 percent among the 188 firms that provided data, according to statistics provided by The American Lawyer.
"This ranking does not reflect a new approach to partnership," firm Chair Mark Stewart said. "It is rather an affirmation of the steps we are taking to support female and diverse lawyers through leadership positions, important roles in management and compensation decisions, thoughtful transition of client relationships, and support for affinity groups."
Earlier this month, Law360'sGlass Ceiling Reportranked Ballard Spahr among the 10 best firms of comparable size nationally for women attorneys. Also this month, the firm was rated among the top 50 nationwide in The National Law Journal's Female Scorecard of gender diversity. In June, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum awarded Ballard Spahr the Forum's Gold Standard Certification for the seventh consecutive year, based on objective criteria for female participation in firm and practice management and governance. That puts Ballard Spahr among an elite group that has attained certification each year since its inception in 2011.
"The firm's commitment to the advancement of female attorneys has taken root in firm culture and is bearing fruit, as acknowledged by these recent rankings," said Denise L. Plunkett, a litigation partner in the New York office, who co-leads the Ballard Women affinity group. "Professional development of our women lawyers is being implemented at all levels of the firm."
"A key factor in our robust efforts to make the firm more diverse and inclusive is the full buy-in we enjoy from the highest level of firm leadership," said Melanie J. Vartabedian, a litigation partner in the Salt Lake City office and Ballard Women co-leader. "It truly is a commitment that starts at the top."
About Ballard Spahr
Ballard Spahr LLP, an Am Law 100 law firm with more than 500 lawyers in 15 offices in the United States, provides a range of services in litigation, business and finance, real estate, intellectual property, and public finance. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, life sciences and technology companies, health systems, investors and developers, government agencies and sponsored enterprises, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The firm combines a national scope of practice with strong regional market knowledge. For more information, please visit www.ballardspahr.com.
