In the rarest of activities, only 43 firms stand out for having at least one partner invested in an individual associate’s future and success. The opportunity for a woman associate to have top a sherpa  — who knows all the unspoken rules and hidden roadmaps — is invaluable in driving their success.

The 13 Best of the Best firms include:

Allens

Armstrong Teasdale

Baker Donelson

Debevoise & Plimpton

Faegre Drinker

Fenwick & West

Gunderson Dettmer

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Husch Blackwell

Katten

Milbank

Venable

Wilson Elser

Another 30 firms stand out as Leaders in bringing these attributes to the table more than other firms.

We list the ranking for all 43 firms where more partners are invested in women associates’ success than others in our newly released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

Use the report to learn the benefits and how you can adopt a compelling program where partners benefit as well.

A mere 16% of women associates consider themselves well paid. 50% consider themselves extremely underpaid. And it’s not just the money — it’s a combination of the workload, the level of respect they receive, predictability, and more.

Women associates single out the 13 Best of the Best firms where they are well compensated:

Armstrong Teasdale

Baker Donelson

Choate

Debevoise & Plimpton

Faegre Drinker

Fenwick & West

Finnegan

Goldberg Segalla

Greenberg Traurig

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Milbank

Sullivan & Cromwell

Wilson Elser

Another 33 firms stand out as Leaders in bringing these attributes to the table more than other firms.

We list the associate ranking for all 46 firms in our newly released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

And you can learn how women associates evaluate their compensation beyond the money.

As discussed last week, job satisfaction among women associates is 13.5 percentage points lower than men. 9 factors drive associate job satisfaction. These include people at the firm, feeling appreciated, and hybrid work policies. Women associates single out a total of 78 firms for delivering the highest levels of job satisfaction. 15 law firms stand out as Best of the Best:

Arnold & Porter

Baker Donelson

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete

Fenwick & West

Fisher Phillips

Greenberg Traurig

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Jones Day

Latham & Watkins

Milbank

Polsinelli

Skadden

Weil

Wilson Elser

Wilson Sonsini

Another 15 firms stand out as Leaders in bringing these core attributes to the table more than other firms. 48 law firms stand out as Distinguished — all of whom lead the pack of 650 other law firms.

We list the associate ranking for all 78 firms in our newly released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

Only 25% of women associates see a clear opportunity to grow within their firm. This opportunity is highly influential in the associate decision to stay or leave a firm. Almost every associate wants to grow — and they will find a place where they can.

Women associates single out 86 law firms defining this clear opportunity for growth within the firm. 10 law firms stand out as Best of the Best:

Baker Donelson

DLA Piper

Fenwick & West

Fisher Phillips

Greenberg Traurig

Jones Day

Littler

Milbank

Polsinelli

Wilson Elser

Another 28 firms stand out among women associates as Leaders in providing clear growth opportunities within the firm. 48 law firms stand out as exceptionally strong — all of whom lead the pack of 650 other law firms.

We list the associate ranking for all 86 firms in our newly released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

You can also learn how women associates recognize and look for the growth opportunity in their law firms.

Mentoring means something totally different to women associates than men. Women associates think more broadly. They want  practical advice in managing their career, pay gaps, parental leave, and more. This helps to explain why women associates rank the mentoring they receive 25.3% lower than men.

Women associates identify only 84 law firms able to deliver this unique mentoring. Please join me in congratulating the following 7 firms for earning Best of the Best:

Fenwick & West

Fisher Phillips

Greenberg Traurig

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Jones Day

Milbank

Wilson Elser

Another 21 firms stand out as offering substantially more than other firms and are Leaders. 56 law firms standout as Distinguished — all of whom lead the pack of 650 other law firms.

We list the associate ranking for all 84 firms in our newly released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

You can also gain insight into the unique mentoring expectations women associates bring to the firm.

Women associate job satisfaction levels are 13.5 percentage points lower than men. Women are only 1/5 as interested in law firm brand when evaluating where to stay and go with their careers. 62% of women associates see limited or no commitment to helping them in their careers.

This explains why women associates rank only 122 (of the 650 firms trying to recruit them) law firms as best at cultivating their highest levels of job satisfaction. As we discussed last week, BTI’s brand new research reveals 8 key attributes driving superior associate satisfaction and retention. These include:

• Commitment to helping associates in their career
• Specific action to help develop a career path
• Access to the training they need
• Good mentoring
• Optimism about growing within their firm
• High levels of job satisfaction
• Being well paid
• Having at least one partner watching out for them

We rank and analyze the firms — and what they do — in our just-released report BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest.

Please join me in congratulating the following firms ranked as Best by women associates in the following 2 activities. We will be celebrating the Best of the Best in the remaining 6 activities over the next few days here at The MAD Clientist.

Their firm is committed to helping women associates in their career              

As noted above 62% of women associates see limited or no commitment to helping them in their careers, compared to 48% of men.

Commitment to helping women associates in their careers goes beyond legal prowess. Women associates want to see robust women’s initiatives, more commitment, resources, and more forward-looking guidance. Women associates identify a total of 97 firms — 9 of which are Best of the Best:

• • Baker Donelson
  • Fenwick & West
  • Fisher Phillips
  • Greenberg Traurig
  • Jones Day
  • Littler
  • Milbank
  • Polsinelli
  • Wilson Elser

Another 88 firms enjoy exceptionally strong rankings as Leaders and Distinguished firms. This makes a total of 97 firms stand out in this all-important attribute.

Firm takes specific action to help me develop a career path   

Only 22% of women associates see robust and specific action to help them develop a career path.

Women associates are looking for formal, clearly delineated firmwide actions — designed specifically to meet women associates’ expectations and needs. A single program or initiative for all associates does not meet this need.

Please join me in congratulating all 80 firms noted by women associates for being the best at developing their career paths. The 7 Best of the Best firms are:

• • Baker Donelson
  • Fenwick & West
  • Fisher Phillips
  • Greenberg Traurig
  • Jones Day
  • Milbank
  • Wilson Elser

22 firms stand as leaders as they develop and improve their already strong initiatives. Women recognize another 51 law firms as better than most in helping to develop a career path.

You can learn how associates interpret each of the 8 core activities — and all of the 122 law firms who stand out as the best, leaders, and distinguished in each and every one. You also learn more than 24 immediately implementable strategies and tactics to boost not only satisfaction — but retention.

Learn more here in our just released report: BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2022: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest