Official: law is the most gay-friendly profession
18 September 2009
A US survey has shown that law firms are the most gay-friendly employers of all.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation rated 127 US law firms on the protections and benefits they offer to lesbian, gay, bisexualist and transgenderalist employees. 88 firms got perfect ratings of 100% (which requires, amongst other things, firms to offer "transgender-inclusive insurance coverage"). That's up on just 12 firms that did so in 2006. Another 28 law firms scored 80% or more. The Foundation commended the profession, saying that it eclipsed "every other industry represented on the index".

UK lawyers won't be surprised by this. Three years ago, in response to a half-arsed Law Society report, RollOnFriday received an overwhelmingly positive response to an informal survey of the attitude of UK firms to gay employees. And given the focus by many firms over the past few years on diversity issues, things are likely to have continued to improve. Except for, possibly, at one firm.

Two lawyers relaxing in a US law firm, yesterday

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