Kim Koopersmith Discusses Female Law Firm Leaders Changing the Legal Industry

Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith has been featured in the Law360 story “How Women Are Changing The Law Firms They Lead” as part of the publication’s annual Glass Ceiling Report. With female lawyers representing only 20 percent of equity partners at the nation’s law firms, the article looks at some of the initiatives being taken to help boost those numbers.

Of the roughly 350 firms surveyed by Law360, Koopersmith is one of just 43 female leaders, and among the very few at the largest firms. She recalled attending a managing partner event a decade ago, finding herself surrounded by a sea of men, and thinking that it was “such a statement about where the industry is.”

The article notes that when Koopersmith was later named chairperson of the firm, one of the first changes she made was to set terms and term limits on all firmwide committees to ensure a greater variety of voices.

“I thought it was a very good way to enhance the chances for a more diverse range of partners to participate in firm leadership and shine,” she said.

Looking to the future, Koopersmith is optimistic about women running law firms. She told Law360, “There are a lot of very talented women with strong skillsets and I think that their partners are going to increasingly view successful women as absolutely good strong candidates for firm leadership.”