Seyfarth Receives Tipping the Scales Award from the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance

Seyfarth announced today that it has again received the Tipping the Scales Award from the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. In addition, Emma C. Mata, partner in Seyfarth’s Litigation department in Houston, accepted the Alliance’s 2020 Flex Success Award. Seyfarth and Mata were presented the awards during the Alliance’s virtual 2020 Annual Conference, Moments of Impact: Transforming Organizational Culture, on November 5th. You can read more here.

The Tipping the Scales award distinguishes firms that have 50% or more women in their 2020 new partner class, recognizing their commitment to the advancement of women.

“We’re thrilled to be honored once again by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. As a firm dedicated to gender equity and advancement, we’re extremely proud that 64% of our 2020 partner class are women. We celebrate their accomplishments and this important recognition,” said Laura Maechtlen, co-chair of Seyfarth’s National Diversity & Inclusion Action Team.

The 2020 Flex Success Award honors attorney/client relationships that best exemplify how, with client support, attorneys can achieve greater work-life control and have extraordinarily successful careers. Mata was recognized with her client Suzanne Davies, Vice President, Legal & Corporate Secretary, Ensign Energy Services Inc.

"The ability to balance my most important role at home and the legal career that I love so much has made me a better mom, a better lawyer, and a happier person," said Mata.

“We’re so proud of Emma and the impressive career she has established here at Seyfarth," said Ellen McLaughlin, chair of Seyfarth Women’s Network. "Her own path exemplifies why supporting flexibility is key to gender advancement and talent development."

The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership positions. The Alliance provides practical research-based solutions, training workshops, and strategic advisory services that increase organizational effectiveness through diversity and flexibility.

A recognized industry leader in law firm inclusion and diversity, Seyfarth was named a 2020 “Best Law Firm for Women” for the 10th straight year by Working Mother magazine. Notably, the firm launched its own “Rooney Presumption” initiative in 2016 which, inspired by the NFL, has helped improve the hiring of diverse candidates across the firm. Today, over 40% of Seyfarth’s executive committee and department leadership are women. Earlier this year, Seyfarth launched The Belonging Project, a first-of-its-kind nationwide collaborative initiative to proactively combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on inclusion and diversity in the legal profession.