Women at Irell
Irell & Manella LLP is committed to attracting and promoting women attorneys by creating an inclusive, professional environment where all attorneys can excel. Women at Irell play an integral role in the firm's culture and leadership, including by serving as members of the firm’s Executive Committee and Management Committee, and as practice group chairs.
A Few of Irell's Women Attorneys
Lisa S. Glasser | Partner | Newport Beach
“I joined Irell in 2003 and, since joining the partnership in 2010, have served on the Executive Committee, Management Committee, and as vice chair of the Litigation Group. I practice litigation, including trials, pre-litigation counseling, and appeals, with a particular focus on intellectual property and other legal issues that impact technology-focused companies. Irell’s merit-based culture has been critical in allowing me to develop a very active trial practice, while also balancing a growing family, which includes my husband and our two children.”
Lisa was recently recognized as one of Law360’s “Trial MVPs,” The National Law Journal’s “Winning Litigators,” and the Daily Journal’s “Top Women Lawyers” in California, among other awards and recognitions.
Charlotte J. Wen | Associate | Los Angeles
“My experience at Irell as a junior litigation associate has been incredible, and the firm has made me feel like a valued member of the team since day one. Irell has given me immense opportunities to grow and develop as a lawyer, and my mentors and colleagues here have supported me every step of the way. As just one example, I was part of a jury trial team as a second-year associate and not only prepped and examined an expert witness, but also argued trial objections before the court. I’ve also had the chance to be involved with the firm’s associates and hiring committees.”
While attending USC Gould School of Law, Charlotte received the Arthur Manella Prize, a scholarship given to first- and second-year students with the highest or second-highest grade point averages. Charlotte took home the prize after both years, earning the second-highest grade point average each time.
Professional Development and Community
As part of fostering an inclusive, professional environment for women at the firm, all attorneys at Irell place a high priority on recruiting a diverse team of lawyers, cultivating women lawyers’ professional development, facilitating networking opportunities, and ensuring that women are represented in all aspects of firm work and culture. Among our efforts:
- Women are involved in every aspect of firm culture and leadership, including mentoring, diversity, pro bono, hiring, summer, associates and executive committees. These committees take the lead in creating new initiatives and implementing and running programs to enhance the experience of our lawyers.
- Irell’s Women’s Network hosts internal events in support of fostering an inclusive environment where women attorneys can build successful and rewarding careers, including regular happy hours for associates and partners, external marketing events for women lawyers, internal informational sessions on leading figures in the industry, and networking workshops.
- All women associates are involved in the firm’s mentorship programs and activities, which include regular off-campus social initiatives.
- We utilize our active alumni network, which includes numerous women in various industries, to provide networking opportunities for all lawyers.
- Irell’s women attorneys are involved in various organizations in the legal and greater community. For example, we are actively involved in or participate on the board and committees of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the Federal Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Call to Action
Irell has signed the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA)/Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Call to Action, which reinforces our commitment to implement various initiatives to attract, retain and advance women lawyers. Signatory law firms also agree to participate in a coalition, which will work with the WLALA/LACBA Joint Task Force to provide a forum for continued collaboration and cross-firm sharing of measurements of the success of women’s initiatives, and a formal network of firm leaders (including associates) with a continuing commitment to advancing and retaining women lawyers. For additional information about the Call to Action, please click here.
Family Resources for All Lawyers
Irell offers a number of resources to help our lawyers achieve a successful work/life balance, including programs to assist both mothers and fathers following the birth of their children. For example, we provide a breast milk shipping service for nursing mothers who need to travel and up to 20 weeks of paid maternity or adoption leave. We also allow all lawyers remote access, in order to provide more flexibility. Additionally, we have a membership in Bright Horizons, which provides subsidized daycare and back-up care solutions for children and elders. For more specifics regarding our benefits package, please click here.