Women of Merchant & Gould

Merchant & Gould's Women's Initiative

Merchant & Gould is committed to providing excellent client service by recruiting and retaining the best and brightest attorneys. We also recognize that diverse groups provide better client service. To these ends we have developed the Merchant & Gould Women's Initiative.

Merchant & Gould's Women's Initiative seeks to recruit and retain outstanding female attorneys by offering them the opportunity to work in a cooperative, collegial, and respectful working environment. Merchant & Gould's Women's Initiative provides access to professional and practice development and mentoring opportunities and affords all attorneys, including women, flexible work options. In addition to supporting our female attorneys within the firm, Merchant & Gould is committed to the advancement of women outside the firm. We are a sponsor of multiple community outreach organizations including YouthCARE's Young Women's Mentoring Program and Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association's campaign to reduce cardiovascular disease in women. The Women's Initiative connects Merchant & Gould female attorneys in ways that strengthen their relationships with one another, the firm, our clients, and our community.

Objectives

• Recruit top talent
• Increase retention and productivity
  • Provide meaningful mentoring relationships
  • Offer flexible work options
  • Build strong morale by promoting a collegial and supportive work environment
• Support female attorneys both internally and in the community
• Meet clients' diversity expectations

Actions

• Women's events
  • Quarterly, informal mentoring program which pairs a junior and senior female attorney for lunch
  • Quarterly women's breakfasts
  • Annual women's dinner
  • Professional networking events with current and prospective female clients and female attorneys
  • Annual professional development program for in-house female attorneys
• Firm-wide programs
  • Advisor program where associates are assigned formal partner mentors
  • Monthly practice group meetings
  • Monthly associate meetings
  • Quarterly associate happy hours
  • Quarterly "Random Lunches" where attorneys are randomly paired in small groups for lunch
  • Year-round associate training programs

Benefits

• Flexible reduced goal plans
• Flexible non-equity partnership tracks
• 90 days of paid maternity leave
• 30 days of paid parenting leave
• Leave of absence of up to six months

Community

• Sponsor of YouthCARE's Young Women's Mentoring Program
• Sponsor of Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association's campaign to reduce cardiovascular disease in women

Merchant & Gould P.C. is dedicated to building and maintaining a diverse work environment. We are committed to hiring the people best qualified for all employment opportunities, and we are an equal opportunity employer.