Fewer in US working remotely, but it's a popular option at top law firms for women
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Remote work is the most popular flex option among lawyers, and it’s offered by all 50 law firms on Working Mother’s list of the 50 best for women.
At 17 of the law firms, every lawyer takes advantage of the remote work option, according to a Working Mother story. Overall, 53 percent of lawyers at the best law firms do some work remotely.
That figure is considerably higher than the percentage of all U.S. workers who perform all or some of their work at home. Last year, only 22 percent of U.S. workers did at least some of their work from home, down from 24 percent in 2015, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports.
Another flex benefit offered by all 50 law firms—reduced hours—is mostly used by female staff attorneys and of counsel.
Forty-four percent of female counsel while 23 percent of male counsel had a reduced schedule. Twenty-seven percent of female staff attorneys while 7 percent of male staff attorneys worked reduced hours. Overall, 9 percent of lawyers worked reduced hours.
See also: Women still make up fewer than 35 percent of lawyers in US law firms, survey says
The Working Mother’s list acknowledges firms that focus on retaining and promoting women. The ABA Journal partnered with Working Mother Media to promote the best firms list and will publish a companion feature in October.
The winning law firms lead the industry in supporting flexible work arrangements and offering generous paid parental leave, according to an executive summary (PDF). They also ensure that lawyers who use family friendly programs are not excluded from the partnership or leadership track.
The 2017 best law firms for women are:
• Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
• Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz
• Baker McKenzie
• Blank Rome
• Chapman and Cutler
• Cooley
• Crowell & Moring
• Davis Wright Tremaine
• Dentons US
• DLA Piper
• Dorsey & Whitney
• Drinker Biddle & Reath
• Faegre Baker Daniels
• Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner
• Fisher Phillips
• Foley & Lardner
• Fox Rothschild
• Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
• Fredrikson & Byron
• Goodwin
• Gray Plant Mooty
• Hanson Bridgett
• Hogan Lovells
• Holland & Hart
• Hunton & Williams
• Husch Blackwell
• Ice Miller
• Katten Muchin Rosenman
• King & Spalding
• Kirkland & Ellis
• Latham & Watkins
• Lindquist & Vennum
• Littler Mendelson
• Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
• McDermott Will & Emery
• McGuireWoods
• Morrison & Foerster
• Norton Rose Fulbright
• O’Melveny & Myers
• Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
• Perkins Coie
• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
• Quarles & Brady
• Reed Smith
• Schiff Hardin
• Seyfarth Shaw
• Shook, Hardy & Bacon
• Sidley Austin
• WilmerHale
• Winston & Strawn
Updated on July 28 to add omitted name of Husch Blackwell.
