Women@Weil
Women@Weil embraces the talents and energy of women attorneys across Weil, focusing on mentoring, networking, recruiting, retention, advancement, pro bono initiatives, business development and outreach.
Women's Advancement
Women Leaders: There are 88 women partners globally. Thirty-two percent of the Firm’s U.S. partners are women. Twenty women serve as leaders of departments, offices, practice groups, or are Firmwide committee chairs or Management Committee members. Four Management Committee members are women. Forty-five percent of U.S. partners promoted since 2010 are women.
TOWER (Taskforce on Women’s Engagement & Retention): A committee of women and men partners are focused on the advancement and development of women attorneys globally. TOWER members represent all four Firm departments and 9 offices. One co-chair and 40% of attorney members are men.
Women@Weil: Since many of the challenges facing women in the workplace transcend borders, our women’s affinity group has a global outlook. There is a global Leadership Board that oversees Firmwide efforts, with office leaders spearheading local efforts.
Management Committee Sponsor: Each affinity group has an appointed senior leader sponsor, who is not a member of that demographic group. The sponsors are charged with understanding key issues the group members face and advocating for necessary change. Michael Francies, managing partner of Weil’s London office and a partner in the Corporate group, is the sponsor for Women@Weil and TOWER.
Read Women of Weil 2024: Progress and Priorities
Read "Pitch Parity: Transforming Gender Diversity in Client Pitch Activity"
Mentoring & Professional Development
Mentoring Circles
Education and Programs
Women’s History Month
Weil honors Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (IWD) through special programs and publications. In 2019, we launched the Weil Women’s Wisdom panel series where women leaders at the Firm share advice to with the next generation of attorneys. This advice, along with statistics and awards, is compiled in an annually updated publication, “Advice to Our Younger Selves.”
Past Women’s History Month/IWD programs include:
- Woman, Life, Freedom: A conversation with Weil partner Britta Grauke and Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, the founder and director of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities (ARAM), an international network of activists that promotes human rights in Iran.
- Fireside chat with Weil partner Anne Cappella and Julia Boorstin, journalist and author of When Women Lead.
- A pan-European panel featuring Devi Sridhar and Dr. Anna Blakney, two women at the forefront of fighting COVID-19.
- Fireside chats with recently retired women partners Marcia Goldstein, former head of the Restructuring Department, and Ellen Odoner, former head of the Public Company Advisory Group.
- 2022 International Women’s Day talk with London Partners Hayley Lund and Jenny Davidson, speaking with Luciana Berger, former Member of Parliament and show minister for multiple portfolios including mental health, energy, and climate change, who shared the vision for #BreakTheBias, the 2022 IWD campaign theme.
- GC Spotlight, hosted by Liz Weiswasser and Drew Tulumello. Executives Courtney Camp Enloe (3M), Natalie Naugle (Meta) and Julie Rottenberg (Visa) discussed how they approach leadership, the importance of culture to legal teams and businesses, and how they think about personal and professional growth.
Virtual and In-Person Events
Women@Weil hosts in person and virtual events where clients can get to know our attorneys (and vice versa) in fun and educational settings. Past events include:
- Mindfulness Luncheon for Private Equity Clients in Boston
- “Women Run the World” team charity run organized by W@W Germany to support two organizations assisting women in the workplace
- Private viewing of “Dior, from Paris to the World” in Dallas
- “Rides & Rosé” charity cycling class in support of the Tahirih Justice Center in Silicon Valley
- Several Weil offices hosted clients at tour stops of Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama.
Community
Sponsorships
Intersectionality
The diversity of women is recognized through programming and affinity group partnerships:
- Triannual breakfasts for women attorneys of color and regular virtual programs.
- LGBTQ+ women programs, such as a panel discussion with London partner Jenny Doak and Weil alumni sharing their career paths and their experiences as LGBTQ+ women in law.
- Educational diversity programs with an intersectional perspective on gender identity including:
- Women’s History Month program featuring Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw who developed the concept of intersectionality.
- Pride Month program with Gabby Rivera about the intersectionality of gender identity and race in the LGBTQ+ community.
- Transgender Awareness Month program with Anya Marino and Alejandra Caraballo, the first transgender women of color to teach at Harvard Law School.
Work/Life Balance
Work-Life Task Force
Developed in response to recommendations from the Task Force on Women’s Engagement and Retention, the global Work-Life Task Force was formed to recognize the challenges of practicing law in a global professional services firm and offers a suite of work-life programs and benefits reflecting the diverse needs of our attorneys:
- Career and life coaching is offered to all attorneys and their significant others for any reason, including juggling multiple client responsibilities, elder care and parenting.
- Back up in-home care for child and adult dependents.
- Access to Milk Stork, which helps business traveling, nursing mothers store and ship their milk back home to her baby while she is away.
Flexible Work Arrangements
Inclusive Parental Leave and Family Planning Benefits
Following the birth or adoption of a child, U.S. associates and counsel are eligible for 10 weeks of paid Parental Leave, regardless of gender or caregiver status. Birth mothers and primary caregivers of an adopted child or a child born by surrogate are eligible for an additional 10 weeks of paid Parental Leave, for a total of 20 weeks.
Weil’s enhanced fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits include a 3-retrieval cycle fertility limit plus elective egg freezing with 1 year of storage and reimbursement up to $25,000 per adoption/surrogacy.
Mothers@Weil
Key Contacts
Meredith Moore
Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
New York
- +1 (212) 310-6769
- meredith.moore@weil.com
Firm News and Announcements
- Five Weil Partners Recognized as IFLR1000 Women Leaders in 2024 Firm Announcement — October 08, 2024
- Karen Ballack Named Among Women Leaders in Tech Law at 2024 California Legal Awards Firm Announcement — August 16, 2024
- Weil Partners Named 2024 Top Women in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation Firm Announcement — August 16, 2024
- Kai Zhang Named as a Rising Star for Finance at IFLR1000’s 2024 Women in Business Law EMEA Awards Firm Announcement — July 03, 2024
- Courtney S. Marcus Named One of D Magazine’s 2024 “Best Lawyers in Dallas” Firm Announcement — May 06, 2024
- Weil Lawyers Shortlisted at IFLR1000’s 2024 Women in Business Law EMEA Awards Firm Announcement — April 26, 2024