Husch Blackwell is one of 54 top law firms participating in the Women in Law Hackathon, a nationwide "Shark Tank"-style pitch competition designed to generate innovative ideas to close the gender gap in law firms. The Hackathon was launched by Diversity Lab in partnership with Stanford Law School and Bloomberg Law.
Partner Barbara Grandjean of the firm's Labor & Employment practice group is representing Husch Blackwell on one of nine Hackathon teams. Each team comprises six law firm partners, two diversity/thought leaders and a Stanford law student. The teams began working virtually in January 2016 and will continue through June to generate innovative ideas for retaining and advancing experienced women in law firms.
On June 24, 2016, the teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at Stanford Law School. The top three teams will grant their prize money, donated by Bloomberg Law, to their choice of nonprofit organizations that are committed to advancing women in the legal profession.
“I’m proud to be a part of this nationwide collaborative effort to increase the number of women leaders in the legal profession,” said Grandjean. “The ideas being generated by the Hackathon teams will help law firms across the country advance more qualified women into leadership roles and bring about positive and lasting change.”
Husch Blackwell strives to recruit, develop, retain and promote talented attorneys and staff with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The firm has been named one of the “50 Best Law Firms for Women” by Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers, an international consulting firm. The firm also has received a Corporate Partner Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. Since 2004, Husch Blackwell has sponsored True North, an enrichment series that offers educational and networking opportunities to women attorneys.