Munger, Tolles & Olson Named 2024 Recipient of Advancement of Women Award From Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

Munger, Tolles & Olson is honored to have been named the 2024 recipient of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles’ (WLALA) Advancement of Women Award.

Inclusion has always been – and will continue to be – a cornerstone of MTO. Managing partners have included two women, a woman of color, an LGBTQ man and an African American man. For the last 15 years, women have served as managing partners, thus putting MTO among only 12 percent of law firms that have women managing partners. Currently, 34% of MTO’s partners are women+ lawyers.

MTO’s commitment to advancing the interests of women in the legal profession also goes beyond these raw numbers. MTO is the only law firm that has had three of its partners serve as Presidents of WLALA. This has included: Carla Hills (1964-1965), Kathleen McDowell (2003-2004) and Katherine Forster (2008-2009). Lisa McLean also served recently as 47th president of the Black Women Lawyers (October 2021 – September 2022). Ms. McDowell was also president of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA) in 2008-2009.

To support working parents, MTO co-founded Hope Street Friends, a state-of-the-art childcare facility and early education center near the firm’s offices in downtown Los Angeles. Hope Street Friends is the first law firm-sponsored childcare center on the West Coast and provides care for children from infancy to pre-kindergarten ages 6 weeks to 6 years.

MTO supports five affinity groups that foster community, deliver programming and provide mentorship to attorneys within the firm. Additionally, MTO offers a range of support for work/life integration, such as subsidized childcare, a reduced-hours partner track, flexible work arrangements and Milk Stork shipping for nursing mothers. MTO has also achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status for seven consecutive years, which reflects our ongoing dedication to building an inclusive legal community.

Learn more about WLALA and purchase your tickets for the awards dinner today.