WILEF Certifies Manatt for Seventh Straight Year June 08, 2017 For the seventh consecutive year, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum has awarded Manatt its Gold Standard Certificate, which distinguishes the law firms that have integrated women lawyers into the highest leadership positions. Manatt is one of only 44 firms to receive the certification and is one of only 14 to receive it every year since WILEF began the program in 2011. WILEF Gold Standard Certification emphasizes the leadership roles achieved by women equity partners, rather than the policies or practices of the firm or the overall number or percentage of women in the partnership. Certification is granted to law firms that demonstrate women represent a meaningful percentage of their equity partners, of the highest leadership positions and committees, and of the most highly compensated partners. Law firms with a minimum of 300 attorneys in the United States were invited to participate by showing the successful promotion and integration of their women lawyers. Only the firms that met objective criteria, which become more stringent each year, were granted certification.