‘The Texas Lawbook’ Highlights Jackson Walker’s Success in Promoting Women to Partnership

April 14, 2014 | Spotlight



Jackson Walker is the leading firm in Texas in promoting women to partner, according to a recent article by The Texas Lawbook. The article, which explored a lack of partner promotions for women as a general trend in the Texas legal industry, revealed that Jackson Walker is among the few law firms in Texas that have been successful in promoting women to partner.

“No law firm in Texas has a better record in recent years of promoting women to partner than Jackson Walker. The Dallas-based firm elevated 20 women to partner between 2012-2014 – nearly double the number of any other Texas law firm,” the article stated.

Women have made up nearly 60% of new partner classes at Jackson Walker since 2012.

Jackson Walker partner Kathleen LaValle, leader of the Firm’s women’s initiative, Jackson Walker Women (jw2), told the publication, “Jackson Walker expects women to be successful. We are not just trying to hit a critical mass.”

Twenty-five percent of the Firm’s management committee is made up of women, and its largest practice group – litigation – is led by a woman, Retta Miller.

“These are signals to women that they can be successful in private practice.” Ms. LaValle said.

In addition to the Firm’s success at promoting women, Jackson Walker has received numerous accolades for its diversity efforts, including the following:

  • Jackson Walker was awarded the prestigious 2014 Thomas L. Sager Award for the South Region from the Minority Corporate Counsel Association. The award is presented each year to law firms that have demonstrated sustained commitment to improve the hiring, retention, and promotion of minority attorneys.
  • For the past two years, Jackson Walker has ranked among the top five Texas firms in American Lawyer magazine’s annual Diversity Scorecard.
  • In 2013, Jackson Walker received the Outstanding Firm award from the Travis County Women Lawyers Association and Travis County Women Lawyers Foundation.
  • Also in 2013, Jackson Walker was recognized by American Lawyer as a leader in promoting women to partnership.
  • The Austin Area Urban League named Jackson Walker its 2013 Corporation of the Year, a designation given to companies that embody the values of diversity, social responsibility and economic equality.
  • Jackson Walker has been named among the “Top 100 Law Firms for Diversity” by MultiCultural Law magazine.
  • Jackson Walker was honored as a “Diversity Champion” for its involvement in the Houston Bar Association’s Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Summer Internship Program.

These honors reflect the success of the Firm’s targeted efforts to foster diversity and create and maintain an atmosphere of mutual respect and inclusion.

Learn more about Jackson Walker’s commitment to diversity by visiting our Diversity & Inclusion page.