WILEF Certification emphasizes the leadership roles achieved by women, rather than the policies or practices of the firm or the overall number or percentage of women in the partnership. "We continue to strive to develop opportunities and advancement of women lawyers, and appreciate being recognized by WILEF for that continued commitment," said Lisa Haile, co-chair of DLA Piper's Leadership Alliance for Women (LAW) and a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Launched in 2006 in the US, LAW supports women lawyers by fostering internal networking, developing leadership skills and creating business development opportunities.

"We constantly seek ways to support women lawyers through our LAW initiatives and other programs across our global platform," said Stefanie Fogel, co-founder and co-chair of LAW and a partner in DLA Piper's Boston office.

To qualify for Gold Standard Certification, law firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers in the United States must demonstrate that women are represented in a significant percentage of the equity partnership and the highest leadership positions. The program also focuses on the extent to which women have been promoted to equity partnership, integrated into the firm's governance structure and recognized as major contributors through upper-tier compensation, as well as the level of meaningful diversity amongst women equity partners.

About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)

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