Press Release
Awards and Rankings
September 14, 2009

Goodwin Procter Earns Top Diversity Ranking

Firm Scores 100 Percent Rating on HRC’s 2010 Corporate Equality Index

BOSTON, September 14, 2009 – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced today that Goodwin Procter LLP has achieved the top rating in its 2010 Corporate Equality Index. Now in its eighth year, the survey is an annual listing that measures how equitably companies are treating their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees, clients and investors.

“Diversity is an integral part of our firm’s vision, strategy and continued success as well as a key component of the foundation of our culture,” said Regina M. Pisa, chairman and managing partner. “As our clients become more diverse, it’s important that we continue to promote a diverse workforce to help us respond to our clients’ changing needs.”

Goodwin Procter supports GLBT equality through a firm-sponsored GLBT Initiative. The firm provides an array of programs to create a stronger, more supportive GLBT community at the firm while also engaging with the broader, external GLBT community within the legal profession. Recent examples of these efforts include:

  • A presentation by Penn Law professor Tobias Barrington Wolff on the recent developments and current legal issues affecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.  Professor Wollf also discussed his role as the co-chair of the National LGBT Policy Committee for President Obama’s campaign.
  • Law student recruiting events in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Silicon Valley promoting diversity within the legal profession.
  • Sponsorship of the ACLU LGBT & AIDS Project’s Annual Attorney Reception.  Martin Gill, a father of two foster children and a plaintiff in the ACLU’s challenge to Florida’s ban on adoption by gays and lesbians, was the special guest at the event.

This year’s Corporate Equality Index 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 GLBT 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 GLBT people.

The index was released by the HRC as part of a report showing that a record number of the largest U.S. companies are expanding benefits and protections for their GLBT employees and clients. The full report is available at www.hrc.org/cei.

About Goodwin Procter
Goodwin Procter LLP is one of the nation’s leading law firms with offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C. The firm’s core areas of practice are corporate, litigation and real estate, with specialized areas of focus that include financial services, private equity, technology, REITs and real estate capital markets, intellectual property, tax and products liability. Information may be found at www.goodwinprocter.com.