programs

Several O'Melveny policies and programs designed to benefit all of our lawyers, such as our work coordination program, mentoring programs, and reduced workload policy, may hold particular benefits for women and other traditionally underrepresented groups within the Firm.  Complementing those programs is an expanding group of programs developed specifically with women in mind, such as our Women's Leadership Academy and WomenConnect site.

Women’s Leadership Academy

O'Melveny's first Women's Leadership Academy took place in 2007.  More than one hundred participants—including our women partners and counsel, Firm leaders, alumni, and clients—convened for this celebration of women's leadership at O'Melveny and in the legal profession. Participants took advantage of the opportunity to acknowledge the history, achievements, and leadership of women at O'Melveny, discuss the future of women at the Firm, and network.  Several distinguished guests, including prominent business leaders and a bestselling author and speaker on women’s professional success, provided learning and inspiration.

Women's Affinity Groups

Women's Affinity Groups are active in nearly every O'Melveny office, where they organize local networking, mentoring, community outreach, recruiting, and career-building events.  Recent Women's Affinity Group-sponsored events include panels with alumni, clients, and business leaders, and discussions on topics including work/life effectiveness, professional development, business development, communication skills, and leadership challenges and opportunities for women.

WomenConnect

WomenConnect is an online community for the lawyers and alumni of O’Melveny, where they can network, share news and achievements, and learn about O'Melveny's efforts in support of women’s retention and advancement. WomenConnect serves as an interactive communication platform where women and men in the extended O'Melveny community who support the goals of the women's initiative can access internal and external contacts and resources, expand their networks, and draw inspiration from the achievements of their colleagues. The site provides centralized access to information, contacts, and resources, and features spotlights of individual lawyers and alumni, and relevant news that helps our lawyers and alumni keep up-to-date on Firm, legal, and community developments.
If you are a current O'Melveny lawyer or an alumnus, and would like to visit WomenConnect, you can do so by clicking here.

Business Development: Tools for Success

As a component of our forthcoming training program intended to equip all of our lawyers with the tools to successfully retain, attract, and secure new business, a companion curriculum designed specifically for women will be offered.  The curriculum will draw on the experience of leading business development consultants and our own stellar women rainmaker role models.

Partnerships and Sponsorships

As a complement to our internal efforts, O'Melveny sponsors and supports a variety of organizations that promote the retention, advancement, and leadership of women in the legal profession.

• The National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) is the nation's leading voice for women jurists dedicated to preserving judicial independence.  It helps ensure equal justice and access to the courts for women, minorities and other historically disfavored groups, along with providing judicial education on cutting-edge issues, and increasing the numbers and advancement of women judges at all levels.  O'Melveny is a Landmark Sponsor for the NAWJ, and two of our partners serve on NAWJ's Resource Board.
  
• The National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) supports and advances the interests of women in and under the law and works toward the social, political, and professional empowerment of women. One of our partners serves on NAWL's Planning Committee.
  
• DirectWomen, a joint project of the American Bar Association, the ABA Section of Business Law, and Catalyst, is a program specifically designed to identify, develop, and support a select group of accomplished women lawyers to provide qualified directors needed by the boards of US companies, while promoting the independence and diversity required for good corporate governance.  Two O’Melveny alumnae have been selected for the first DirectWomen class.
  
• The Women in Law Leadership Academy (WILL) is presented by the American Bar Association's Commission on Women, the Section of Litigation, and the Young Lawyers Division. The WILL Academy offers an opportunity for women lawyers who have practiced for 10 years or less to interact with a diverse faculty of leading lawyers and judges from around the country. The WILL Academy's primary focus is career and legal skills development with an eye toward leadership.
• Catalyst is a leading research and advisory organization that advises businesses and professions in ways to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women at work.  We are partnering with Catalyst to explore and implement best practices in this area within O'Melveny.
  
• The No Glass Ceiling Initiative, to which we are a signatory, is The Bar Association of San Francisco's eight-point pledge to take concrete action to achieve firmwide progress in women's retention and advancement to partnership and leadership positions.