Lowenstein Sandler proudly announces that, for the seventh year in a row, it has received a score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees. Lowenstein joins the ranks of 545 major U.S. businesses earning top marks this year. 

The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 million outside of the U.S. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms, and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.

The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:

  • Non-discrimination policies across business entities
  • Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families
  • Supporting an inclusive culture
  • Corporate social responsibility

“Lowenstein’s on-going commitment to an inclusive workplace is more important now than ever. We firmly believe our lawyers and staff perform their best when they are encouraged to be their most authentic selves,” says Gary M. Wingens, Chair and Managing Partner of the firm.

Matthew P. Hintz, partner and co-Chair of the firm’s LGBTQ+ Alliance, adds: “Our firm wholeheartedly supports the mission of achieving equality and justice on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, so it is truly an honor to be recognized once again for our efforts.”

“Lowenstein is proud to be among the select group of companies that achieved a perfect score and. applauds HRC for revamping the survey by adding additional criteria needed to achieve a hundred percent score and requiring compliance documentation, “adds J. Danielle Carr, the firm’s Chief Inclusion Officer. “Our score reflects the firm’s firmwide commitment to doing the work necessary to enhance equity, inclusivity, and belonging at Lowenstein. One of our most recent related efforts was the appointment of an additional attorney, Sarah P. Cole, and two members of the firm’s administrative team, Colin Crosby and Lauren Wittenberg, to serve as co-leads of Lowenstein’s LGBTQ+ Alliance. For too long, professional service companies have primarily focused diversity and inclusion efforts on the service providers. At Lowenstein, we highly value the firm’s administrative team and for that reason, they have seats at the leadership table. We are also intentional about making sure there is gender diversity in the leadership ranks.”

Lowenstein has satisfied all of the CEI’s for a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality. The firm offers employees a wide variety of resources and benefits, including:

  • An LGBTQ+ Alliance resource group, which meets monthly and provides firm-wide training on LGBTQ+ issues; participates annually in the Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair; and celebrates Pride Month and Spirit Day through education, social, and community service events
  • Equal parental leave and family building benefits for opposite-sex and same-sex couples
  • Domestic partner benefits
  • Purposeful sponsorship and coaching
  • Gender-neutral parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child 

The Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest also supports LGBTQ+ causes through efforts such as collaborating with the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) to represent low-income transgender people who want to change their legal names to better match their identities. For example, the center recently joined several not-for-profit organizations representing transgender adults and minors in arguments urging the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a district court decision that blocked the state of Florida’s prohibition against gender transition care for adolescents.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

About Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Lowenstein Sandler LLP is a national law firm with over 350 lawyers based in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. The firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, with particular emphasis on investment funds, life sciences, and technology. Recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service, the firm is committed to the interests of its clients, colleagues, and communities.