Crowell & Moring Associate Authors Presumed Equal, A Guide To What America’s Top Women Lawyers Really Think About Their Firms

Washington, D.C. – October 6, 2006: Crowell & Moring LLP associate and recent Harvard Law School graduate Ashley Ryan Riveira has co-authored Presumed Equal, a guide to what America’s top women lawyers really think about their firms. Working with law school colleague and co-author Lindsay Blohm, Riveira used anonymous survey responses from nearly 4,000 female associates and partners at 105 of the nation’s most prestigious firms to explore and rank attitudes of female lawyers about their firms.

Although men and women have graduated law school at nearly the same rate for two decades, women still make up only 17 percent of partners at law firms. Presumed Equal explores reasons for this unbalance through candid, first-hand observations on issues such as work-life balance, advancement, mentoring, business development, part-time opportunities, gender discrimination and firm leadership on a firm-specific basis.

“The gender gap within the legal community requires action, and Presumed Equal helps to advance the understanding of this issue by providing real data and first-hand insights about the nation’s leading firms. Crowell & Moring is proud that Ashley has taken on this complicated and critical issue,” said Crowell & Moring partner Jennifer N. Waters, a Management Board member and fellow Harvard Law graduate.

Crowell & Moring is committed to the promotion of diversity within the firm and legal community. The firm has launched an annual Diversity in the Legal Profession Scholarship and, in June 2005, the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) named Crowell & Moring one of four finalists among all Mid-Atlantic states firms for MCCA's "Sager Award" recognizing law firm diversity efforts. Multicultural Law Magazine named Crowell & Moring among the top 100 firms nationally for diversity. Two other recent awards recognize the firm's efforts to enhance quality of life: Bar Association of the District of Columbia's "Quality of Life Award" and " Washington Business Journal's Best 50 Places to Work Award."

About the Authors:

Lindsay Blohm is a 2003 graduate from Georgetown University and a 2006 graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was president of the Women’s Law Association, served on the Executive Board of the Journal of Law and Gender, as a Peer Advisor for the Office of Career Services, and as the captain the Harvard Law School Women’s Crew team. Lindsay is an associate at Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw.

Ashley Riveira is a 2001 graduate from Pacific Union College and a 2006 graduate of Harvard Law School. Prior to attending law school, Ashley worked as the Immigration Caseworker for Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA). While in law school, Ashley served as the Director of the Professional Development Committee for the Women’s Law Association and as an Executive Editor for the Journal of Law and Gender. She is an associate at Crowell & Moring, where she is based in the Washington, D.C. office. She is awaiting the results of the California Bar Exam and has been assigned to the Environmental & Natural Resources, International Arbitration, and Litigation groups, where she will work with the lawyers on a range of matters.

Crowell & Moring LLP is a full-service law firm with more than 300 lawyers practicing in litigation, antitrust, government contracts, corporate, intellectual property and more than 40 other practice areas. More than two-thirds of the firm's attorneys regularly litigate disputes on behalf of domestic and international corporations, start-up businesses, and individuals. Crowell & Moring's extensive client work ranges from advising on one of the world's largest telecommunications mergers to representing governments and corporations on international arbitration matters. Based in Washington, D.C., the firm also has offices in Brussels, California and London.