Holland & Knight earns Gold Standard Certification for providing women attorneys with opportunities for success

MIAMI - June 16, 2011 - Holland & Knight recently earned Gold Standard Certification from The Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for its achievement in providing women attorneys with opportunities for financial success and positions at the highest level of firm leadership. WILEF's new Gold Standard Certification Awards Initiative is the only initiative directed toward certifying and publicly recognizing eligible law firms that have met their criteria for empowering women attorneys.

"We are incredibly honored to be among the first in the industry to receive this meaningful designation," said Tammy Knight, Chair of Holland & Knight's Women's Initiative. "This recognition affirms what so many of our women attorneys already believe: Holland & Knight is a great place for women attorneys to advance their careers."

Law firms are eligible for the 2011 WILEF Gold Standard Certification if they successfully demonstrate that women represent a significant percentage of their equity partners, hold meaningful leadership positions within the firm, and have ample opportunities for financial recognition and reward.

WILEF invited more than 300 law firms with 100 or more practicing attorneys in the U.S. to apply for the certification this year and 32 law firms met the criteria.

The firm was also recognized this year by The Women's Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County, which awarded Holland & Knight the 2011 Thelma Gibson Award of Excellence in recognition of its efforts in promoting leadership, excellence and business development among professional women.

About WILEF: Founded in 1997 by Elizabeth Anne “Betiayn” Tursi, with the support of R.R. Donnelley and several successful senior women attorneys, and subsequently, of law firm and corporate sponsors, WILEF is dedicated to assisting women in law to assume leadership roles within the AmLaw 100, Second Hundred and Fortune 1000 legal departments and within their respective communities. WILEF presents cutting edge programming that provides an educational and networking forum for women in law. www.wilef.com

About Holland & Knight LLP: Holland & Knight is a global law firm with approximately 1,000 lawyers in 18 U.S. offices as well as Abu Dhabi, Beijing and Mexico City. The firm is among the nation's largest law firms, providing representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with access to attorneys throughout the firm, regardless of location. www.hklaw.com