Women's Initiative

Benesch is committed to building and maintaining a diverse workplace, knowing that it helps us bring a broader perspective to our clients and smart, innovative solutions to their legal needs. In particular, the Benesch Women’s Initiative serves to better understand, serve and promote the firm’s professional women. Members of the Initiative and specific, goal-focused subcommittees work closely with the firm’s executive committee and practice group chairs on strategies aimed at achieving three overarching goals.

1. Attract, hire, support and promote women professionals.

Benesch is working with our women attorneys to establish specific, measurable targets for hiring, retaining and promoting women, as well as targets for providing specific support training and development to women already on board. This includes ensuring that we provide opportunities to participate in business development and relationship-building activities with clients, and ongoing coaching to help women professionals effectively and efficiently develop new business, contribute to the firm’s growth, and develop their own skills as leaders. Benesch also taps its male and female partners to serve as mentors and sponsors who actively share their insights, perspectives and experiences to help their mentees grow in their capabilities and business acumen and build their practices.

Knowing that raising awareness is an essential precursor to raising the profile of diversity-related issues, we also work to:

• Conduct training programs for practice group leaders and senior management to promote best practices for working with, supporting and promoting diverse teams.
• Highlight women’s accomplishments internally and externally.
• Identify and promote policies that support working parents, recognizing that childcare (and other types of caregiving) is not a uniquely “women’s issue.”

2. Facilitate personal and professional relationships among women professionals.

Benesch’s professional women have opportunities to participate in regular internal and external events—some social and informal, some professional, some client-involved—to facilitate relationships and networking among other women professionals. We also support women in their independent leadership activities—such as participation in boards and various associations, and sponsorships of women and diversity-focused events—that raise their visibility, connections and overall experience in the business and broader community.

3. Partner with other professional women’s initiatives in the community, such as those sponsored by corporate clients, not-for-profits and professional organizations.

We regularly reach to partner with other organizations, businesses and clients to gain insight into best practices with respect to women’s initiatives and connect with women professionals across industries. This includes reviewing and incorporating best practices for internal firm practices and metrics, as well as supporting the initiatives of women professionals throughout our communities.