Biglaw

Which Biglaw Firms Will Cover Travel Expenses For Employees Who Can No Longer Access Abortion Care?

Some firms are willing to devote resources to make sure their employees have access to abortion.

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Leaked Report Indicates Supreme Court Set To Overturn Roe v. Wade

(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Of the most elite Biglaw firms — the Am Law 100 — 76 have offices in states that have banned or severely limited access to abortion rights in the wake of the Dobbs decision. Biglaw’s rapid expansion into Texas sure looms large. For those thousands who work at those firms (and folks who work at other firms that key their benefits off of what the top of Biglaw does), the VERY important question is — what are they going to do about it?

Sure, things like pro bono opportunities and devoting the firm’s mighty resources to the fight for abortion rights is incredibly important — vital even. But let’s take it out of the esoteric and talk about the actual folks working at those firms who are finding out right now that they’re pregnant. What will those firms do for employees who suddenly find themselves cut off from abortion, and potentially a wide range of fertility treatments?

All sorts of major companies are making news for stepping up for their employees and covering travel expenses for those who wish to access abortion care. Will Biglaw do the same?

Above the Law reached out to Am Law 100 firms that operate offices in locations (all 76 of them) where abortion has already been banned/restricted to find out what their plan is — they did have eight weeks (from the leak of the draft decision) to figure it out. We’ll be updating the chart as we learn more details. Not only is it vital for folks currently working at the firm, but as law students begin the recruitment process in a few months, they can use this info to find out what kind of firm they’re considering working for.

And please, if you know information drop us a line — text (646-820-8477) or email (subject line: “[Firm Name] Travel Costs”). Please include the memo if available. You can take a photo of the memo and send it via text or email if you don’t want to forward the original PDF or Word file. All sources are kept strictly confidential.

And if your firm fails to come through, maybe Dick’s Sporting Goods’ legal department is hiring.

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Firm Cover Travel Expenses? Comments
Akerman unknown
Akin Gump Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “The firm is committed to offering our workforce a full suite of healthcare benefits. Consistent with that commitment, we will be providing travel and lodging reimbursement for reproductive healthcare impacted by Dobbs.”
Alston & Bird Yes According to a firm email, “In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling last Friday in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, we are moving quickly to ensure that disparities in state law resulting from the Court’s decision do not create differences in our colleagues’ coverage and access to reproductive health services under the firm’s medical insurance plans, including through the payment of travel expenses.”
Arnold & Porter unknown
Baker & Hostetler unknown
Baker Botts unknown According to an internal email, “The health and well-being of our colleagues is a fundamental value of our Firm. We remain committed to supporting the health care needs of all our colleagues and are reviewing the benefits that may be made available under our Firm-sponsored health plans consistent with applicable federal and state laws. We will provide updates regarding the Firm’s medical plans or policies as we have them.
If you or a dependent are in immediate need, please reach out to… our Benefits Manager in Human Resources, to confidentially assess resources that may be available to you.”
Baker McKenzie unknown
Ballard Spahr unknown
Barnes & Thornburg unknown
Blank Rome unknown
Bryan Cave unknown According to a spokesperson, “The well-being of our colleagues continues to be our top priority and we are exploring our options to maintain access to health care services that may no longer be available in their state of residence.”
Cozen O’Connor Yes According to a spokesperson, “In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling, Cozen O’Connor intends to cover transportation costs for employees and dependents for services that aren’t available in their geography. Ensuring access to safe, legal, high-quality health care is one of our most important priorities. There are various issues and mechanics that need to be reviewed and addressed; however, if an employee or dependent is in immediate need, we are directing them to reach out to Human Resources to confidentially discuss how the firm can support them in the interim.”
Crowell & Moring unknown
Dechert unknown From a firm memo, “While each of us is entitled to our opinions and beliefs, we stand with our women colleagues and support their rights. We will be exploring ways to keep abortion services available to all U.S. employees, regardless of what state they live in, under our healthcare plan. If you need assistance navigating this or other healthcare topics, please contact our Human Resources team.”
DLA Piper unknown
Dorsey Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “Part of the firm’s benefit package is to include insurance coverage for travel and lodging expenses for those living in states where the procedure is not available.”
Duane Morris unknown
Faegre Drinker unknown
Fish & Richardson unknown
Foley & Lardner unknown According to a spokesperson, “Safe medical care is in the best interest of our people and we are planning to reassess the resources that are available through our benefits.”
Fox Rothschild unknown
Fragomen unknown
Gibson Dunn Yes The firm will reimburse abortion-related travel expenses. They’ll also cover, if necessary, legal-defense expenses.
Goodwin Yes Despite not having any offices in locations that currently ban abortion, Goodwin will cover travel costs for healthcare service not available up to $5000.
Gordon Rees unknown
Greenberg Traurig unknown
Haynes and Boone unknown According to an internal email, “[O]ur Executive Committee is currently analyzing the appropriate changes, if any, to the firm’s policies, including regarding firm healthcare benefits, related travel coverage, and firm pro bono involvement. With respect to our healthcare benefits, you can be assured Haynes Boone is committed to providing access to each individual covered by our group health plans to covered procedures and benefits in accordance with the terms of our plans, regardless of state of residence.”
Hogan Lovells Yes From a firmwide email,  “In light of the decision and its impact on access to reproductive rights, we intend to provide our people with resources to access all options of support, including reproductive services that are not locally available.”
Holland & Knight unknown According to a firm email, “The firm will establish a working group to evaluate the impact of the Dobbs decision on the firm’s benefits programs and related policies and procedures. Among other things, the working group will evaluate whether changes should be made in order to ensure that the firm continues to provide appropriate protections to our employees. This evaluation will, of necessity, take place against a shifting and inconsistent legal landscape, given the number of states in which our personnel reside.”
Hunton Andrews Yes According to a firm email, “[T]he firm will reimburse our employees up to $4,000 per year for travel expenses incurred in the event an employee needs to journey more than 100 miles from their home or out of their home state to seek reproductive healthcare or family planning services. These services will include, among other things, abortion, IVF treatments, surrogacy, and the adoption of a child, and would not need to be specifically identified in a reimbursement request to protect your privacy.”
Husch Blackwell unknown
Jackson Lewis unknown
Jones Day unknown
K&L Gates unknown
Katten unknown
Kilpatrick Townsend Yes According to an internal email, “We will continue to provide robust healthcare benefits, which include reproductive and family health benefits as well as covering reasonable travel costs in the event healthcare services are not available in a given state.”
King & Spalding unknown
Kirkland Yes From an email to employees, “As a result of the Dobbs decision, the Firm intends to expand its benefit offerings to cover travel expenses for employees who reside in states where abortion is prohibited and who need to travel to receive abortion services or certain fertility treatments, which may also be prohibited under state law.”
Latham unknown From an email to employees, “The firm is investigating lawful ways to ensure that the disparities in state laws resulting from the Court’s decision do not create differences in our colleagues’ coverage and access to reproductive health services under the firm’s US medical insurance plans , including through the payment of travel expenses. Our global Benefits & Well-Being Department will provide information on any updates to our medical plans and policies in connections with this effort.”
Lewis Brisbois unknown
Littler Yes From an email to employees, “Littler is committed to continuing to provide access to the same full complement of healthcare benefits — including access to abortion services, which, as a result of last week’s ruling, will no longer be available in every state. Additionally, we are expanding our healthcare benefits to include lawful reimbursement of travel and lodging expenses to medical plan participants (both covered employees and defendants) residing in a state that no longer provides full access to female reproductive healthcare; specifically, access to abortions.”
Locke Lord unknown
Loeb & Loeb Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “Loeb & Loeb is committed to providing consistent benefits to all of our employees, regardless of the state they live in. As such, we will be expanding our benefit offerings to cover travel expenses for employees who reside in states where abortion is prohibited and who need to travel to receive these or other locally banned reproductive services.”
Mayer Brown Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “Mayer Brown’s US medical insurance plan covers the cost to travel for medical care, including abortion and other reproductive care, when such care is not available in the home community of plan participants, including covered family members.”
McDermott Yes From a firmwide email, “Last week’s Supreme Court decision was a pivotal moment in the US legal landscape. In line with our Firm’s longstanding values and principles, we will continue to ensure that our colleagues and family members covered by our benefits plans will have access to reproductive healthcare, regardless of their location. We will also pay for the cost of travel to obtain such services. Our full support of gender and health equity across all communities is unwavering.”
McGuireWoods unknown
Morgan Lewis Yes From a firm spokesperson, “Our firm-sponsored ERISA health benefits plan covers abortion care, and also provides reimbursement for travel and lodging expenses incurred when it is necessary to travel outside of a participant’s home state to obtain such care.”
Morrison & Foerster Yes From a statement from the firm Chair, Larren M. Nashelsky, “The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has contributed generously to organizations who defend and advance reproductive justice for all Americans. And we have moved quickly to protect the health and well-being of our employees, including through reimbursement of expenses related to lodging, transportation, and meals in a U.S. state where they can legally receive an abortion.”
Nelson Mullins unknown
Norton Rose unknown
O’Melveny unknown
Ogletree Deakins unknown
Orrick Yes From a statement from firm Chair, Mitch Zuklie, “Our Board believes that it is important to respond to this decision with changes to our policies and programs, and to support the pro bono and community work of those on our team who wish to advocate for reproductive choice. As a result, Orrick joins with leading companies, financial institutions, and law firms in extending travel expense coverage to team members who lack local access to reproductive health and other medical care.”
Paul Hastings unknown
Perkins Coie Yes According to a spokesperson the firm will offer reimbursement, up to $5,000, saying “Perkins Coie has further expanded our benefit offerings to include a travel reimbursement to support our personnel and their family members when there is a need to travel more than 75 miles from their residence to obtain essential healthcare. This move is part of the firm’s deep commitment to the health and well-being of our people, including our commitment to provide equitable access to quality healthcare regardless of geographic location.”
Pillsbury unknown
Polsinelli unknown
Proskauer Yes According to a firm spokesperson, Proskauer will provide support for those seeking abortion care outside their state.
Quinn Emanuel Yes A firm spokesperson indicated they would provide this benefit.
Reed Smith Yes According to an internal email they’re expanding their healthcare benefits to “reimburse travel expenses, up to $5,000 per year, for covered personnel and their family members who need to travel to access any covered health care service — including reproductive health care — that is not available within a 50-mile radius of their home.”
Ropes & Gray Yes Though they don’t have an office in any location that has banned abortion, they have already announced protections of employee rights. A firm spokesperson confirmed, employees that are enrolled in their healthcare plan will continue to have abortion coverage and the firm will provide financial assistance for travel.
Seyfarth Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “The firm will continue to support the health needs of all of its U.S. workforce through its comprehensive U.S. health benefits program.”
Shearman & Sterling Yes According to an internal email, travel will be covered for healthcare services “for which access is limited.” The service must not be available within a 60-mile radius, the provider must be in network, and coverage is for one member and an eligible companion, up to IRS limits.
Sheppard Mullin Yes According to an email, “Sheppard Mullin is working to ensure that access to reproductive health services under our medical insurance plans is not restricted based on where our people live, including provision for payment of travel expenses.”
Sidley Yes From a firm memo, “The Management Committee also has approved the reimbursement of abortion-related travel and, if necessary, related legal-defense expenses for our employees, regardless of their state of residence.”
Simpson Thacher Yes From an email to employees, “The Firm will continue to provide robust benefits under the Firm’s health plan that support health care services, which as of July 1, 2022, include travel and lodging support for those that may need to access certain health care services that are not available within a 100-mile radius of the participant’s home.”
Skadden unknown
Squire Patton unknown
Susman Godfrey Yes Susman Godfrey announced to employees on Friday (immediately after the decision in Dobbs) that it will cover expenses associated with traveling to another state if required to do so to obtain an abortion for employees and their dependents.
Taft Stettinius Yes According to a statement from the firm, “Individuals covered by Taft’s medical insurance plan will be reimbursed for lawful travel and lodging expenses for reproductive health services unavailable in their state of residency.”
Troutman Pepper Yes According to an internal email, “The Firm’s plans currently provide reproductive health care benefits, which include maternity care, abortion contraceptive medications and devices, surgical sterilization, and infertility services. Effective on September 1, the Firm’s plans will provide travel benefits for any covered medical services with state limitations on access, including abortion.”
Vinson & Elkins Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “The Firm will, as part of its health plan, provide a travel benefit for covered health care services that are unavailable locally.”
Weil Yes According to an internal email, “Weil will continue to ensure that our healthcare benefits cover reproductive benefits, including abortion, regardless of location. We are currently working with our healthcare provider to ensure that travel and lodging expenses will be covered by our healthcare plan in the event travel is required to receive any such procedures due to state or local law prohibitions.”
White & Case Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “White & Case provides a comprehensive health care plan to our people, which covers elective abortion. Additionally, in states where abortion care is banned, our plan will cover transportation costs to access abortion services in another state.”
Willkie unknown
Wilmer unknown
Wilson Sonsini Yes According to a firm spokesperson, “We are designing benefit coverage to ensure continued access to reproductive health benefits that will be at risk due to the Court’s decision or various state laws. We will establish a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to provide coverage for abortion services and travel for employees in states where care providers are limited or non-existent, and/or where state law may preclude such coverage on fully insured medical plans.”
Winston & Strawn Yes According to an internal email, “To ensure equal access to abortion regardless of state law, the Firm will reimburse travel expenses for personnel who have to travel out-of-state to obtain an abortion. Our decision to implement this benefit reflects Winston & Strawn’s commitment to equal access to abortions for everyone at the firm.”
Womble Bond unknown

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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