Nearly Half of Nation’s Largest Law Firms Bar Gender Identity Discrimination

Nearly half of the nation’s large law firms offer job protections to transgender employees, a new report says.

Forty-five percent of the nation’s top 200 law firms have policies that bar discrimination based on gender identity, according to the report (PDF) by the Human Rights Campaign. It found job protections for gay, lesbian and transgender employees have surged in recent years at both large private employers and large law firms.

In private business, 35 percent of the Fortune 500 have protections based on gender identity, and 60 percent of the Fortune 100 have such protections. In 2000 just three of the Fortune 500 businesses had such protections, according to a press release.

The report’s examination of policies at the nation’s top 200 law firms found that:

• Seventy-five percent have policies barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.

• Seventy-five percent offer domestic partner benefits.

• Four percent have transgender-inclusive health benefits.

The HRC has a search option for those who want to check the policies of specific employers. In a ranking released last September, 64 law firms obtained top scores for their treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and clients.