Whether you are a Managing Partner looking for successful and committed employees, a Recruitment Officer attracting new talent, a Marketer pushing for increased market reach, or even an Attorney looking at career progression, Women’s Initiative programs have become an essential part the modern law firm. However developing and implementing a coordinated firm-wide Women's Initiative is a substantial undertaking.

Retaining and advancing women lawyers is a major source of both revenue and talent loss in today's law firms. Therefore, Managing Partner magazine's upcoming report is an in-depth exploration of recent developments, best practices, and the tools and tactics that are helping forward-thinking firms devise and manage successful Women's Initiatives to, in turn, guide their future development.

In particular, the report explores the key challenges and opportunities that law firms face in devising and managing a more diverse firm that:

- Reflects the nature and direction of the business and supports its strategic priorities;

- Responds to changes in the business environment and the community;

- Meets the shifting expectations of clients and stakeholders;

- Harnesses the interests, attitudes and altruistic aspirations of their people.

The report begins by examining the key internal and external business drivers for investing time, energy and resources in building a holistic Women's Initiative in terms of:

- The partnership;

- The marketplace;

- The workplace;

- The community.

Women's Initiatives: Retaining & Advancing Talented Women Lawyers in Your Firm outlines the key obstacles and aspects that are necessary to achieving a successful Women's Initiative:

- The necessity of mentoring and role models

- Realizing the benefits of work/life balance

- Creating leadership opportunities & preparing women to take & succeed in them

- Establishing a Women's Initiative that meets the diverse needs of the women of your firm

- Assuring Equal Access to Career & Client Development Opportunities

- Understanding the Role & Influence of a Women's Initiative across your Firm

The report also looks at management issues around planning and implementing an overall strategy. These include choosing themes and activities that reflect the firm's profile and priorities and the interests of its people; allocating roles and responsibilities; developing a strategy; consulting externally, developing partnerships and implementing and managing a cohesive Initiative.

Other subjects covered include:

- Identifying strategy and best practice;

- Employee engagement: Internal and external communication and highlighting effective tools and tactics for maximizing participation and involvement;

- How should law firms gauge and determine the "success" of their Initiative?

- Building the business case;

- What are the benefits of a successful Women's Initiative?

Informative new case studies:

This research is combined with a selection of best-practice examples of Women's Initiatives in action with practical and informative new case studies written exclusively for this report. With input from organizations such as Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, Vinson & Elkins, Holland & Knight, Deloitte, and McDermott Will & Emery among many others.