Covington & Burling’s dedicated health advocates help employees and their families make the most of their health insurance benefits.

When you're knee-deep in legal briefs, it helps to know that your children are being cared for just a block away. Parents at this law firm's headquarters find its near-site day care, which serves 85 kids from infancy through age 5, a huge stress reliever–but no matter where they work, they'll find support: The firm's backup-care program charges just $6 to $8 per hour for in-home help and $15 to $30 per day for center based babysitting. Mothers form tight bonds with one another in the Women's Forum, which sponsors get-togethers, professional training and volunteering projects; luncheons held by the Work-Family Balance Group give parents a place to trade tips on child care, benefits and working part time (as 40 lawyers do). Moms get 18 fully paid weeks off for a birth or adoption; non primary caregivers get six.

Chair, Management Committee Timothy Hester

Executive Director John Waters

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 43%

Women among top earners 41%

Women on board of directors 29%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 0%  

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 4%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* 1%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement 88%

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? Yes

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.