LGBT Diversity
McDermott Will & Emery is committed to cultivating and maintaining a diverse group of lawyers and staff. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, including transgender or sexual orientation, gender identity or lifestyle choice.
Committed to this goal, our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Diversity Committee develops Firm-wide policies, programs and initiatives to maintain a supportive environment for all of our employees regardless of transgender or sexual orientation, gender identity or lifestyle choice.
Since 2002, we have offered domestic partner benefits to same-sex partners. This includes health, dental and vision insurance as well as dependent medical coverage. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)/FMLA-like benefits, bereavement leave, employee discounts, a qualified joint and survivor annuity, a pre-retirement survivor annuity, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)/COBRA-like benefits and an employee assistance program are included in the package of benefits we offer to opposite-sex spouses and same-sex partners alike.
In 2006, we earned a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, a tool used to rate American businesses on how they treat LGBT employees, consumers and investors. McDermott was one of twelve law firms in the United States to achieve a perfect score.
Diversity is a key component of our recruitment programs, and as we already engage with numerous diversity-focused organizations to attract talented law students from various backgrounds, we plan to continue to develop relationships with the LGBT community as well. Additionally, we encourage our staff to assume leadership roles in organizations that support diverse lifestyles.
