Mid-tier firms lead the way for gender diversity

Jul 31, 2019

Written By Jack J Collins, Editor of AllAboutLaw.co.uk

A leading executive search and market research firm has found that the UK's biggest law firms are lagging behind their mid-tier rivals when it comes to addressing the gender inequality at partner level.

Edward Drummond & Co found that less than one in five partners at Top 10 law firms are women, in contrast to the fact that on average amongst the rest of the top 100, over a quarter of their partnership were female.

And the gap of 6% has actually grown from last year, with the balance staying exactly the same at top 10 firms, and their competitors increasing by a percentage point across the average of the 90 firms.

However, this is not due to a lack of trying. In fact, the creation of 'female friendly' routes to the top has reached the apex of large law firms' agendas, as they look to stratify and diversify, and in doing so, making sure that the cream of their female talented is properly looked after and kept hold of.

Rather than effort then, it is the manouvreablility and agility of smaller law firms that has allowed them to attract top female talent to their firms, as they are not burdened by the same levels of bureaucracy and management that larger firms need to continue.

This speed off the mark has allowed smaller firms to implement innovative strategies to attract the people they want, far faster than their top 10 competitors.

Jaidee Spear, Associate at Edward Drummond & Co., commented: “It’s not that larger firms don’t want to invest in gender diversity at partnership level – in fact, it is extremely high on their agenda.

“The fact is that implementing policies of any kind at these large-scale organisations can take longer than it would for smaller rivals. The sheer size of their operations means that some of the largest law firms can be less nimble.”

Edward Drummond & Co. says that new strategies aimed at helping working parents or carers to strike a good work-life balance are the key to attracting female lawyers to partnership. Examples of this include flexible working in terms of hours and targets, as well as agile working, allowing their staff to work from home or remotely on a number of days per week.

Initiatives tend to be aimed at facilitating alternative ways of working – often centred on large-scale investment in technologies, which can be rolled out on a firm-wide basis.

Spear continues, “Firms outside of the global elite still seem to have the edge over their larger rivals when it comes to holding on to, as well as attracting, top female talent at partnership level.

“This is largely down to the flexibility they have on decision making.

“For larger global firms, strategies designed to improve gender balances at top levels have been underway behind the scenes for some time – and if they keep on this track they will catch up.”

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