FBT Women's Initiative

It’s About Connecting and Strengthening Relationships

Frost Brown Todd’s approach to diversity is becoming recognized as one of the most progressive in the legal industry. But at its core, there is something much more fundamental driving the firm’s growth and leadership in this area—we have turned our principles into actions. One of the best examples is The Women’s Initiative.

Designed and organized to connect and develop our women attorneys in ways that strengthen relationships with clients, communities, and one another, the Initiative challenges convention through improved communication, engaging the skills of our women and mentoring them to thrive in a traditionally male-dominated profession.

The Women’s Initiative focuses on:

  • Professional development and mentoring for women attorneys
  • Retaining and promoting women attorneys
  • Raising internal and community visibility for women attorneys

With a strong commitment from Firm management, The Women's Initiative continues its efforts to be a mentor and leader in the legal community. With its solid track record of success, the Initiative strives to stay on the cutting edge of issues relevant to the success of individuals in the legal profession.

Accomplishments

  • A monthly, informal mentoring program in which a junior associate is randomly paired with a more senior attorney for lunch
  • Professional networking events with current and prospective female clients and female attorneys
  • An annual half-day professional development program for all attorneys on issues of interest to women attorneys
  • Annual luncheons for all attorneys, featuring prominent women speakers in the community. Past speakers include federal court judges, law professors, an assistant U.S. Attorney, an Army Reserve Major and other motivational speakers
  • Raising the professional and social profiles of our women attorneys through various civic awards nominations and social networking activities

Benefits

One of the direct benefits of investing in attorneys is the correlation between the investment and improved retention and promotion rates. Through The Initiative, our women receive the guidance and direction they need to develop client service strategies and attorney-client relationships that produce long-term benefits for the law firm.

Several factors include:

  • Consistent client contact resulting in stronger, improved relationships
  • Accumulated knowledge and experience
  • Greater legal, industrial, situational, and client familiarity

According to Women’s Initiative Co-Chair Alison Stemler the law firm is seeing results: “We’ve recruited some wonderful new lawyers which I believe has made the firm better as a whole. When we have a broader array of people for our clients to work with, it strengthens our relationships with them. It broadens our ability to communicate effectively with them.”

Looking to the Future

The Women’s Initiative continues to look for ways to support our women attorneys in their career paths while providing their clients with optimum legal services. Our programs encourage all attorneys to interact and work together while strengthening both internal and outside relationships that provide value to clients and communities.

But even with the growth and success of The Initiative, Co-Chairs Jane Shea and Alison Stemler say there is still more to do. “Policies can be changed overnight — attitudes take time,” reveals Jane. “If people are not encouraged to change, they will not. They must be challenged.”

And challenge is what the Women’s Initiative continues to do.


Frost Brown Todd 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.