DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, positioning the firm to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world.

Attracting, retaining and promoting talented female lawyers is critical to the firm. At the center of its strategy is the Leadership Alliance for Women (LAW) which empowers DLA Piper's female lawyers by developing leadership skills and creating business development opportunities. LAW advances the firm’s global competitive edge by empowering these lawyers with ways to maximize their opportunities for business generation and leadership.

LAW is led by a national steering committee chaired by two partners. It is sponsored by one of the firm’s co-chairs and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, both of whom are men.

Initiatives developed and supported by LAW include retention and development programs, a speaker series focused on business development for women, leadership opportunities for female associates, sponsorship of networking events that strengthen relationships, and internal communication projects that support networking and promote female lawyers’ success.

A notable feature of LAW is its response to the alarming rates of law firm attrition among women of color, in particular. Armed with Catalyst’s “2009 Study on Women of Color in US Law Firms,” DLA Piper has formalized its commitment to the retention and development of women of color by providing a forum that supports their professional goals. About 120 women of color now meet quarterly to discuss leadership skills, networking and business development.

LAW also hosts the Global Women’s Leadership Summit, which is an opportunity for high-level, female in-house lawyers to discuss the most challenging issues they face in their careers in a comfortable, all-female environment.

Another major way DLA Piper supports female lawyers is through its flexible work strategy called Alternative Work Solutions (AWS), a program utilized by both male and female lawyers at all stages of their careers. By supporting a variety of flexible work arrangements, each of which can be individually tailored to support the work/life interests and needs of our lawyers, the firm is in a better position to attract, retain and develop talented lawyers who are committed to the profession, the firm and its clients. Among its options, AWS provides opportunities for lawyers to design plans for reduced hours, remote work and ramp-up schedules.

Lawyers are taking advantage of AWS -- nearly 10 percent in the United States, including 11 percent of the firm’s 2013 class of new partners work reduced hours. This is above the National Association for Law Placement’s reported national average of 6 percent.