Women's Initiatives

Skadden is deeply committed to the retention and advancement of women attorneys. In 2012, 45 percent of the newly promoted partners firmwide were women. More than 43 percent of our associates and 32 percent of our counsel are women. Women partners hold leadership positions as practice and office leaders and as chairs or members of our Policy, Compensation and Partner Committees.

The National Association for Female Executives and Flex-Time Lawyers named Skadden to their list of "50 Best Law Firms for Women" for the third time since the list's inception in 2007, and we were one of 32 large law firms (out of 300 applicants) to receive the 2011 Women in Law Empowerment Forum’s Gold Standard Certification for “law firms that have integrated women into the highest leadership positions in the firm.” At the inaugural Chambers USA “Women in Law Awards” in February 2012, Skadden was the only firm to be a finalist for both the “Most Innovative Gender Diversity Initiative” and “Best Mentoring in a Law Firm” awards.

Our newly established global Women’s Initiatives Committee recommends, implements and monitors efforts related to the overall professional development of women lawyers at the firm. The Committee supports our continued efforts to attract and develop a pipeline of successful women lawyers at all levels.

Our key women’s initiatives include:

Professional Development

Training

In connection with our gender diversity initiatives, Skadden has offered training sessions that focus on public speaking, coaching, networking and marketing.

Speaker Series and Networking Events

Skadden Series for Women

Since 1996, Skadden Series for Women lectures have been presented for senior women clients, their junior women colleagues and Skadden women attorneys. Participants have included former NASA astronaut Bonnie Dunbar; author and director Nora Ephron; former Texas Governor Ann W. Richards; former ABC News co-anchor Cokie Roberts; Brown University president Dr. Ruth Simmons; choreographer Twyla Tharp; and playwright Wendy Wasserstein. 

Women’s Leadership Series

In 2009, the firm introduced a new initiative to establish stronger connections between junior and senior women lawyers at the firm. The Women’s Leadership Series was designed not only to highlight the career paths of successful Skadden women but also to provide other lawyers with the opportunity to explore various pathways to leadership as part of their individual career development. The series is formatted to foster a true dialogue between a featured speaker and the audience and has included Firm practice leaders, a former New York state chief judge, and members of the Firm’s Client Development and Policy Committees.