The hot list for female lawyers just landed on my desk. I’m talking about the one issued by Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) which spotlights firms where women are making inroads in partnership, money and leadership. In other words, the hard stuff.

So how are women doing according to this barometer? They are holding steady. Depending on your viewpoint, that’s either a huge relief or a letdown. This year, 45 firms qualified for WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification. (Last year, there were 42 firms.)