Women's Initiative

While the mission of our Women's Initiative program is established, the methods and details of the program are ever-evolving to help ensure that we stay attuned to how the program should be changed to meet the overall goals.

For instance, as part of Holland & Knight's ongoing commitment to diversity, the firm has partnered with Diversity Lab to implement the Mansfield Rule, a pilot program aimed at increasing the number of women and minority lawyers in leadership roles. The firm is one of 30 leading law firms to participate in the trailblazing program.

Holland & Knight's commitment to the women lawyers at the firm is a long-standing core value that is a part of our overall dedication to diversity. As a firm, we value the positive energy created by a diverse workforce of lawyers and professionals that is inclusive of racial, gender, age, ethnic, national, sexual orientation and religious differences. We also appreciate, support and encourage the thoughts, ideas and values that underlie these differences. Holland & Knight is committed to being a leader in diversity, and we strive to attract, retain and promote diverse lawyers and staff.

Rising Star® Program

The unique design of our Rising Star® program serves to distinguish Holland & Knight from other law firms. The goals of this year-long program are to help prepare participants for leadership opportunities, elevate their profiles within the legal profession and community, and increase their success in business development.

Each year Holland & Knight selects a group of talented and dedicated women lawyers to participate in Rising Stars – a dynamic and intensive program of leadership, marketing, management and professional skills development, professional mentoring and experiential learning. To be eligible, Rising Star® candidates must be in at least their seventh year of practice and have been affiliated with Holland & Knight for at least two years. Other selection criteria include professional experience, community involvement, motivation to be a leader, and the ability to invest the time and effort necessary for success. Program applications are generally solicited each fall for participation in the following year.

Meet the Holland & Knight Rising Stars

The Women’s Initiative has supported various organizations, including:

• the Women’s Power Summit on Law Leadership, which is an invitation only program that convenes the preeminent women in law
• the Women in Law Hackathon, which is an innovative and solution-oriented event for the purpose of advancing women in the legal profession
• the National Association of Women Lawyers, which devotes itself to the interests of women lawyers and their families
• the National Women’s Law Center, which strives to protect and advance the progress of girls and women in virtually every aspect of their lives
• Women Executive Leadership (WEL), whose mission is to increase the number of women serving on corporate boards and in the executive suite by recognizing and connecting accomplished women and further expanding their influence within their respective business communities

Holland & Knight continually seeks ways to enhance and improve its Women's Initiative program by encouraging and promoting new ideas and input from its lawyers through annual attorney meetings, productive bi-monthly phone conferences and local meetings with women lawyers from each office, and other networking and social events.

On the local level, Women's Initiative groups regularly host a variety of events to provide forums for interacting with businesswomen, corporate counsel and various women's organizations in each respective region and nationally. Local offices hold educational programs including luncheons and breakfast meetings featuring lectures by prominent women attorneys, judges and community leaders. In addition, local offices organize social events to provide support for local charities and quality networking opportunities. The firm's commitment to women is further demonstrated through our support of localized efforts to assist organizations that help women in need.

Contact any of our local Women's Initiative coordinators for more information. You may also contact the Women's Initiative National Chair Tricia DeLeon or Deputy Chair Jessica Early.

The combination of policies, programs and benefits provided by Holland & Knight and our Women's Initiative program distinguish our firm from other national and regional law firms. To learn more, click on the links below:

• Rising Star® Program
• Attorney Mentoring 
• Balanced Work/Life Policy
• Lawyer Benefits 
• Professional Development