Baker Donelson is among a select group of leading national law firms to participate in the OnRamp Fellowship, an innovative program to provide women lawyers re-entering the legal profession with an opportunity to update their skills and legal contacts through one-year, paid positions with top law firms. The program aims to replenish the talent pipeline in law firms with diverse, high-performing lawyers who have the potential and the desire to advance into leadership roles.
"Ensuring the retention and advancement of women attorneys continues to be a challenge for the legal profession," said Christy Crider, chair of Baker Donelson's Women's Initiative.
"The OnRamp Fellowship program addresses that challenge by offering experienced female attorneys, many of whom have taken a break from their careers in order to focus on their families, the opportunity to return to the legal profession and expand their experience and skills. It also gives our Firm the opportunity to benefit from an untapped pool of tremendous lawyer talent. I'm grateful to Tonya Grindon and Lori Metrock, co-chairs of the Retention Committee of our Women's Initiative, for their leadership in spearheading our participation in this valuable program."
Baker Donelson is one of 15 law firms across the country selected to participate in this innovative talent program. The Firm will have five open OnRamp Fellowship positions across four of its offices: Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville and New Orleans. Women lawyers who are selected to participate in the Fellowship will be provided with a partner advisor at the Firm, an external career counselor, unlimited online continuing legal education and a variety of training from experts in negotiations, oral advocacy, social media, technology, project management and business development.
"Baker Donelson is deeply committed to addressing the issues that can create obstacles to a successful legal career for women," said the Firm's Chairman and CEO Ben C. Adams. "We're very proud to participate in this incredible program that aims to increase gender diversity in our profession."
"This is proof that law firms can be innovative," said Caren Ulrich Stacy, founder of the OnRamp Fellowship. "By participating in the first 'Returnship' ever launched in the legal field, these 15 law firms are pioneers – they are benefitting the profession as well as their own firms by forging a new pathway back for women lawyers who took a break and want to return."