Michael Best is committed to continuously enhancing our workplace where each member of our team has what they need to be their Best. Our firm develops programs and policies to make sure that each member of our team has the support and resources to achieve their Best.
With purposeful involvement from the highest levels of leadership across our firm, Michael Best’s initiatives are guided by our dedicated committee and Employee Resource Groups to help keep us on mission.
We pledge to continue to build on our firm’s storied workplace and build opportunities to create environments where all people feel a sense of belonging and can thrive.
Access & Engagement Initiatives
To foster community, Michael Best’s Access & Engagement Committee supports a network of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Our ERGs are employees who identify as part of an underrepresented or traditionally marginalized group and allies. Participation is open to all interested attorneys and staff.
Michael Best’s ERGs offer opportunities for professional development, mentorship, networking, and community engagement. ERGs also work to advance the firm’s strategic goals and promote cultural awareness and education.
Michael Best offers a variety of financial scholarships for law students each year. Each application process is open to all law school students who fulfill the scholarship’s eligibility requirements.
We work to not only recruit new talent but also help develop future generations of firm leaders. Michael Best provides professional opportunities to our attorneys and staff, including retreat and conference sponsorships, networking, and firm-led development resourcing. Michael Best is a member of a variety of development organizations such as the Chicago Committee, the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI), and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), and the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce to provide leadership development support.
Michael Best’s HR policies, such as paid parental leave, alternative work schedules, remote work, and domestic partner benefits, appeal to lawyers and professional staff. Our “career lattice” approach to professional development gives attorneys flexibility in considering partnership or another track at different points in their lives. Our internal policies and benefits continue to evolve.
We recognize that by donating our time, skill, and experience, we can help strengthen our communities and bring about meaningful change for people facing extreme challenges. Every year, Michael Best coordinates a firmwide volunteer day called Best Efforts. This provides an engaging, meaningful way for everyone in our firm to give back to our communities as part of a team
Michael Best attorneys provide pro bono services to many charitable, arts, and civic organizations that positively impact people’s lives every day. We also support the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge Initiative, and provide pro bono services through court systems, state bar associations, and legal aid organizations.
Recognition
Michael Best is proud to have received the recognition of Equality 100 in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2024-2025 Corporate Equality Index.
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Michael Best has been named a Top Performer and Compass Award winner by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).
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The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce named Michael Best the 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year. |
Michael Best was a recipient of the 2022 Tipping the Scales recognition. |
Memberships
| Michael Best is a founding member and ongoing sponsor of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Click here for more info. |
Partnerships in Our Communities
In all we do at Michael Best, we strive to make a positive impact. This commitment drives the work we do in our communities, and each of our offices partners with local nonprofits to develop relationships that go beyond pledging time and dollars. Since every organization is different, we approach each relationship differently by tailoring our support to align with what the organization needs to help achieve its mission.
In some cases, it is our time and guidance on boards, or our hands-on involvement with the various programs these organizations implement. In other cases, it is our legal experience that can help the most. And, of course, all benefit from financial donations and the fundraising assistance that we give.
Michael Best is proud to support many other community organizations that are working to achieve similar goals.