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Carlton Fields Earns Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign 2010 Corporate Equality Index
09/14/2009
 WASHINGTON – Carlton Fields has received a perfect score – a 100 percent rating – on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2010 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). HRC’s annual report was published today, and is available at www.hrc.org/cei.
“Even in an economic environment that has presented new challenges for lawyers in private practice, the nation’s largest and most prestigious law firms have only stepped up their commitment to recruiting and retaining a diverse group of attorneys and staff,” said HRC Foundation President Joe Solmonese. “Legal work in this country is deeply rooted in our nation’s core values of equality and justice for all, and law firms continue to set the gold standard for treating their LGBT employees fairly.”
The Corporate Equality Index 2010 surveyed a total of 127 law firms, all but three of which are ranked among The American Lawyer’s 200 highest-grossing law firms. The number of firms – 88 in all – achieving the top score reflect a steady increase over past reports. In 2006, the first year law firms were invited to participate, 12 firms achieved a 100 percent rating. Perfect scores were achieved by 30 firms in 2007 and 64 firms in 2008.
“For major law firms and their clients, inclusive and fair practices for LGBT attorneys and staff have increasingly become the norm,” said Robert Falk, the HRC Foundation’s General Counsel. “Top law firms are aware that providing equal benefits and protections to their LGBT employees translates into a positive work environment and the ability to recruit the best lawyers. Moreover, in-house counsel routinely tell us that they look at the CEI law firm ratings when evaluating firms under consideration for their business.”
For the past eight years the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index has examined various industries’ corporate policies affecting LGBT employees throughout the country. The Corporate Equality Index 2010 report shows impressive gains in policies and protections across the board. In particular, transgender workers have made major gains since the report was first published in 2002. For instance, seventeen AmLaw 200 firms now provide transgender-inclusive health insurance that would cover sex-reassignment surgery and related treatments. This component will be required, among other new requirements, in two years for the Corporate Equality Index 2012 report.
This year’s survey rates law firms and other businesses on a scale of 0 percent to 100 percent on several factors, including whether they have a written non-discrimination policy and training covering sexual orientation and gender identity; provide insurance that covers transgender-related treatments; support same-sex partners of employees with health insurance, bereavement and family leave policies; have LGBT employee groups; engage in appropriate and respectful advertising to the community; contribute to community organizations; and decline to engage in any activities that would undermine the goal of equal rights for LGBT people. The Corporate Equality Index 2010 rated a total of 590 private employers in various industries.
Click on the links below to view the reports:
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC Foundation) 2010
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC Foundation) 2010 - AmLaw Firms
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