For a fourth consecutive year, Haynes Boone has earned a 100 percent rating in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index and the distinction of being one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
The Corporate Equality Index (CEI) is a national benchmarking tool that measures policies, practices and benefits provided to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) employees.
“Earning a perfect score in the Corporate Equality Index for four consecutive years is evidence of the firm’s sustained work to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all of our lawyers and professional staff,” said Partner Sharon Jones, the firm’s chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) officer.
Helping drive the firm’s DEI efforts is the Attorney Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (ADEIC), which comprises partners, associates, counsel and key members of management. The ADEIC sets goals for the firm’s policies and programs related to the recruitment, retention, promotion, and professional development of diverse lawyers, including the next generation of diverse lawyers the firm hopes to recruit to the legal profession.
The ADEIC comprises the following inclusion networks, which are designed to develop and promote DEI as a collective and sustained focus:
Asian American/Pacific Islander Network
Black/African American Network
First Generation College Network (First Gen)
Latinx/Hispanic Network
LGBTQ+ Network
Next Generation of Firm Leaders Network (Next Gen)
Pipeline Initiatives Network
Veteran Network
Women's Network
Working Parents and Caregivers Network
The firm has been recognized for its DEI efforts. In September 2021, the firm achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status, demonstrating that it has met or exceeded the baseline requirements and also reached at least 30% underrepresented lawyer representation in a number of current leadership roles. In July 2021, the firm received the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) Gold Standard Certification for the ninth year as a reflection of its continued commitment to women in the legal profession. Most recently, the firm was named a 2022 Best Place for Working Parents, a designation awarded to businesses that are leading the way in family friendly policies. Additionally, Haynes Boone’s 2022 class of new partners is the most diverse in firm history, featuring 69% women and 62% racial and ethnic minorities.
Haynes Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, healthcare, life sciences, technology, financial services and private equity. With 600 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. It was recognized for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2021 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
About the Corporate Equality Index
Launched in 2002, the CEI is an annual report published by the HRC Foundation that rates American businesses on their treatment of LGBTQ employees, consumers and investors. The CEI rates private employers, including many of the nation’s highest-grossing firms, on a scale of 0 to 100 based on several factors, including written non-discrimination policies and training; parity in domestic partner benefits and transgender-inclusive health insurance benefits; LGBTQ employee groups; appropriate and respectful advertising to the LGBTQ community; and rejection of any activities that would undermine the goal of equal rights for LGBTQ people.
To read the 2022 report, click here.
