Our Commitment to Fairness

Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applicants from all backgrounds with traditional and non-traditional qualifications. The firm is committed to fairness in the workplace by providing a working environment that fosters growth, respect, and engagement.

Fairness in the Workplace

Because we believe that actions speak louder than words, several years ago, our firm established a standing committee to determine where we could improve concerning hiring and retention practices and to define steps to accomplish change where needed. The committee meets regularly to assess needs, create objectives, and engage in best practices to advance this commitment. Some of the initiatives referenced below result from the committee’s work and the firm’s commitment to advancing fairness in our firm and community.

Friday Forward Fellowship

The Friday Forward Fellowship was created to increase the number of law school students from different backgrounds in our community. Recognizing that there is value in including people with many human differences – including but not limited to differences in race, ethnicity, sex, military service, socioeconomic status, faith and beliefs, disability status, upbringing, and other conditions, we are committed to seeking out these populations, in addition to others, in Arkansas colleges and universities to provide financial support and mentorship to inspire a more comprehensive representation of all individuals in the Arkansas legal profession.

The Friday Forward Fellowship committee, comprised of attorneys, Arkansas law school administrators, and faculty members, will accept up to 10 promising Fellows each year. These Fellows will receive financial aid to attend LSAT prep courses and one-on-one mentorship with a Friday, Eldredge & Clark attorney. Mentor attorneys will work with each Fellow throughout their law school experience by providing advice and guidance to help them succeed in school and their legal careers.

Law Firm Antiracism Alliance

The firm is a Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) charter member. Nearly 250 law firms across the country are working collaboratively through several large-scale initiatives to foster equal justice in the law profession. Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA).

Sponsors of Student Associations Supporting a Broader Legal Community

We also support student associations to support the needs of students from various backgrounds and sponsor law school programs that encourage the development of a more fair and accessible law community. For example, our lawyers support initiatives such as the Summer Pre-Law Program at the University of Arkansas (SPPARK), Lawyers Beyond Siloes, the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), and the Southwest Black Law Student Association (SWBLSA).

Recognizing that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, SPPARK is an intensive pre-law program for first-semester college students and others historically underrepresented in law school. The program is held at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville. Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP is the only law firm in Arkansas to participate as a program sponsor.

Lawyers Beyond Siloes is a program created through a collaborative partnership between the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and the Unsiloed organization. Unsiloed’s goal is to work with partners on a journey to reach their highest aspirations.

Women in Leadership

We pride ourselves in promoting the development of all lawyers, including women lawyers and professionals in our leadership and management positions. Many women are active members of our firm’s leadership teams.

The firm is honored to have received the Olivia Farrell Gender Equity Leadership Award from the Women's Foundation of Arkansas. The Gender Equity Leadership Award is an award that recognizes workplaces that create and foster a gender-equitable business environment and businesses that believe in the values of equality and equity.

The WFA developed “The Gender Equity Scorecard” in conjunction with a team from the Clinton School of Public Service to evaluate areas where a company is excelling at creating gender equity in the workplace, which includes financial literacy, job skills, mentoring, and resources.

Employment Fairness Policy

Friday Eldredge & Clark, LLP aims to create a workplace environment where fairness is encouraged and in which every member of the firm can realize his or her potential for excellence.

This policy is intended to guarantee equal opportunities for all firm members, including students, legal and non-legal staff, associates, and partners.

Discrimination on the grounds of race, religious beliefs, color, sex, physical or mental disability, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or family status is prohibited at Friday Eldredge & Clark, LLP in any work-related activity or any of the firm's employment or recruitment practices.

Friday Eldredge & Clark, LLP has undertaken a critical examination of its policies and practices and will continue to take positive measures to ensure that employment terms, conditions, and opportunities are implemented in accordance with equality principles for all employees and prospective employees.