Innovative Support
Business Development Initiative
The Firm is actively developing a mechanism for diverse attorneys throughout its offices to forge relationships and develop business. Both diverse and non-diverse attorneys participate in this initiative, which is also designed to cultivate business development skills in associates and help them to reach developmental benchmarks. This is a tangible mechanism for the Firm to advance business development by its diverse attorney population, in much the same manner that particular practice groups’ marketing efforts are supported. The initiative not only promotes firm-wide business development and teamwork, but also promotes another of its important goals - to provide more junior attorneys with a business development infrastructure thereby increasing their likely success, retention and promotion.
Domestic Partner Benefits
Benefits afforded to our employees and their spouses extend to both same sex and opposite sex domestic partners.
Flexible Work Arrangements
We have for many years officially recognized flexible work schedules which permit attorneys to modify the customary daily schedules and billable hour requirements to suit various personal demands. In many firms, adopting a flexible schedule is tantamount to renouncing election to partnership. At Locke Lord, our flexible work arrangement policy is expressly designed to avoid suspension of attorneys’ opportunities for professional growth and career development. The Firm’s policies provide for reduced-hour attorneys to attain or maintain full partnership. This provides incentive to valued, experienced attorneys to remain with the Firm long-term so that these professionals actively enjoy a career that includes both flexibility and upward mobility.
Paid Family Leave
All attorneys are eligible for a total of up to 12 weeks of paid family leave. Additional unpaid leave is also available on a case-by case basis.
Partner Compensation
Participation in the Firm’s diversity efforts is an important criterion in evaluating partners for annual compensation purposes. Each year, our partners are assessed on their individual mentoring, diversity-related and other similar efforts. The Firm is actively considering other mechanisms for encouraging every partner to individually act toward increasing and sustaining diversity.
Women’s Initiative
The Women’s Initiative has as its mission to support and encourage the success of women at Locke Lord. Goals include hiring, promoting and retaining female attorneys, encouraging women to take leadership roles in the Firm and providing mentoring and networking opportunities. Women’s Initiative meetings are held throughout the year and address head-on the everyday issues facing women practicing law in a large firm. In addition to our own Women’s Initiative, we are a member of the Chicago Coalition of Women's Initiatives in Law Firms and the Houston Bar Association Gender Fairness Initiative, which have as its goal the promotion of women in law firms. Further, Firm Chair Jerry Clements serves on the Board of Directors of the National Women’s Council, a non-profit organization that seeks to provide a collective voice for women of all backgrounds, classes and ages.
Promotion of Diverse Attorneys
Many of our systematic practices and beliefs allow us to attract and retain diverse associates so that they are ultimately promoted to partner. We are proud to steadily increase the diversity of our partnership.
2012 New Partner Class
- 21% were attorneys of color
- 50% were female attorneys
2011 New Partner Class
- 25% were attorneys of color
- 17% were female attorneys