Major law firms have been announcing their partnership appointments, and it seems that there has been real progress in achieving a more balanced division between genders: around 40% of the new partners announced so far are women, with nearly half the firms appointing at least as many women as men. And Pinsent Masons is making up eleven women, almost a third of the total.
While the profession still struggles to provide meaningful career progression to mothers, it is evidence that firms are at least putting more women on the letterhead. Mishcon has spurned men entirely this year, with a three-strong, all-female round of promotions. Director of Human Resources Vanessa Dewhurst told RollOnFriday that "all partner promotions are awarded on merit, but we are really pleased that this year they are all women", and said that the firm recently launched a flexible working programme.
Meanwhile two out of three of Freshfields' new UK partners are women, and another three firms achieved gender parity: Slaughter and May managed two and two, Debevoise & Plimpton one each and Trowers & Hamlins made up four women alongside four men. If there is any justice the Golden Turd winner's staff will score it a little higher in next year's Firm of the Year survey, at least for diversity.
Despite falling just short of gender equality, Pinsent Masons has made up the most female partners in the UK so far this year by adding a whopping total of 11 women to the letterhead, versus 13 men. Linda Jones, who heads up Pinsents' gender balance programme 'Project Sky', told RollOnFriday, "We're encouraged by the progress we have made this year and in particular how responsive the business has been to addressing the issue of gender balance", cautioning, "We also recognise, though, that this is a marathon and not a sprint".
At the other end of the scale, Squire Patton Boggs promoted only one woman for its nine men, while Weil made up four men and not a single woman. Which won't do much to appease Weil lawyers such as the NQ who responded to the RollOnFriday Firm of the Year survey to rue the "lack of female partners and role models" at the firm.
Tip Off ROF
While the profession still struggles to provide meaningful career progression to mothers, it is evidence that firms are at least putting more women on the letterhead. Mishcon has spurned men entirely this year, with a three-strong, all-female round of promotions. Director of Human Resources Vanessa Dewhurst told RollOnFriday that "all partner promotions are awarded on merit, but we are really pleased that this year they are all women", and said that the firm recently launched a flexible working programme.
Meanwhile two out of three of Freshfields' new UK partners are women, and another three firms achieved gender parity: Slaughter and May managed two and two, Debevoise & Plimpton one each and Trowers & Hamlins made up four women alongside four men. If there is any justice the Golden Turd winner's staff will score it a little higher in next year's Firm of the Year survey, at least for diversity.
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Five teeth later the Managing Partner made them all up |
Despite falling just short of gender equality, Pinsent Masons has made up the most female partners in the UK so far this year by adding a whopping total of 11 women to the letterhead, versus 13 men. Linda Jones, who heads up Pinsents' gender balance programme 'Project Sky', told RollOnFriday, "We're encouraged by the progress we have made this year and in particular how responsive the business has been to addressing the issue of gender balance", cautioning, "We also recognise, though, that this is a marathon and not a sprint".
At the other end of the scale, Squire Patton Boggs promoted only one woman for its nine men, while Weil made up four men and not a single woman. Which won't do much to appease Weil lawyers such as the NQ who responded to the RollOnFriday Firm of the Year survey to rue the "lack of female partners and role models" at the firm.
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