Quality of life is a top priority at Dickstein Shapiro. The Diversity and Professional Development Quality of Life Committees have a mission to foster an office environment that is consistently employee- and family-friendly. The Committees review and recommend changes to firm policies and provide input regarding new policies and initiatives. The firm’s philosophy is that the right policies and procedures create a nurturing environment that enables employees to do their best work.

Many law firms today say that they create family-friendly environments, but Dickstein Shapiro has been a leader in this area for years. “Dickstein’s Quest for Family Values” was the subject of a 1999 article in the Legal Times, a Washington, DC legal publication, and the firm has been called upon to address the District of Columbia Bar Association regarding its initiatives. In addition, the lifestyle balances struck by a number of Dickstein Shapiro attorneys have been the subject of media profiles.

In The American Lawyer’s 2007 “Associates Survey,” Dickstein Shapiro was ranked the number one firm overall, as well as the number one firm in both Washington, DC and New York City. Also in 2007, the firm was selected by Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC as one of the “Best Law Firms for Women,” and was named one of the best places to work in the United States for equality with respect to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2008 Corporate Equality Index.

The firm has appeared in each biennial edition of Washingtonian magazine’s “Great Places to Work” list since its first publication in 1999. In addition, the firm was recognized by the Washington Business Journal in its 50 “Best Places to Work in Greater Washington” survey in 2005 and 2006.

In 1999, Dickstein Shapiro was presented with The Bar Association of the District of Columbia’s Constance L. Belfiore Quality of Life Award. The award is presented annually by the Bar Association in furtherance of its belief “that quality of life is an important issue which, if fostered, will produce more loyal, productive, and market-competitive lawyers and staff.” Dickstein Shapiro was the first large firm to receive this award.