Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP earned a 100 percent rating in The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2010 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). For the past eight years the CEI has examined various industries’ corporate policies affecting LGBT employees throughout the country.

The survey rates law firms and other businesses on a scale of 0 to 100 percent on several factors, including whether they have a written non-discrimination policy and training covering sexual orientation and gender identity; support same-sex partners of employees with health insurance, bereavement and family leave policies; contribute to community organizations; and decline to engage in any activities that would undermine the goal of equal rights for LGBT people.

Davis Polk has launched a variety of LGBT-specific initiatives to promote diversity and awareness, including the creation of an affinity group for LGBT lawyers designed to enhance networking and mentoring opportunities. The affinity group’s activities have included an estate planning seminar for LGBT couples and a New York City-wide LGBT lawyer networking event. Davis Polk also provides pro bono legal assistance to the LGBT community. Through the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, the firm’s corporate and litigation lawyers have assisted more than 40 transgender individuals in petitioning the court to change their names to those more reflective of their gender identity and gender expression.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.