Diversity

All being equal - the impact of the Government's equality agenda on employment law

By Legal Week | May 18, 2011

In December 2010, the Government published its equality strategy – Building a fairer Britain – which is founded on the principles of equal treatment and equal opportunity. Interestingly, the strategy envisages tackling all inequalities including those not currently protected by legislation, eg, class inequalities. To achieve this, the strategy recognises the need to move from legislation-based solutions and the strand-based approach, focusing instead on the individual.

1 minute read

Freshfields appoints Amsterdam corporate man as new global people partner

By Suzi Ring | April 14, 2011

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed a new global people partner as incumbent Caroline Stroud steps down from the role. Amsterdam-based corporate partner Richard Norbruis is set to take up the position as of 1 May for a three-year term. Stroud will return to full-time fee earning in the employment practice. Norbruis is only the second person to hold the role at the firm after it was created in May 2008.

1 minute read

Law Society report reveals partner promotions still fail to reflect rising tide of female lawyers

By Sofia Lind | April 14, 2011

The latest annual statistical report from The Law Society has confirmed the extent to which law firms have so far failed to react to the increase in women in the profession, with the number of female solicitors nearly doubling over the last 10 years. The report - Trends in the Solicitors Profession - published earlier this month, showed that between 2000 and 2010 the number of women holding practising certificates rose by 80%, although the profession as a whole has grown by only 42%.

1 minute read

Freshfields rolls out unconscious bias training in diversity push

By Suzi Ring | April 6, 2011

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is rolling out unconscious bias training to its partners firmwide in a bid to increase diversity within its ranks. The training, which was first piloted with corporate partners last autumn, is intended to alert partners to bias that could affect decisions regarding recruitment, promotion and attitudes to others at the firm.

1 minute read

A&O becomes first law firm on board Government social mobility initiative

By Sofia Lind | April 5, 2011

Allen & Overy (A&O) has become the first law firm to sign up to the Government's new 'business compact' which will see companies agree to offer internships to young people from deprived backgrounds. The compact is part of the Government's wider social mobility strategy unveiled today (5 April) by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

1 minute read

Macfarlanes boost maternity leave pay by 70% in diversity review

By Suzi Ring | March 23, 2011

Macfarlanes has upped its maternity leave by almost 70% in a bid to retain more female lawyers at the firm and increase the number of women in its partnership. The City firm will now offer all employees 23.5 weeks of maternity leave on full pay, up from just 14 weeks.

1 minute read

Bar stats show marginal increase in female barristers over five years

By Suzi Ring | March 23, 2011

The percentage of women at the bar has increased only marginally over the last five years according to new research compiled by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and Bar Council and issued yesterday (22 March).

1 minute read

What women want: bridging the great divide

By Legal Week | March 16, 2011

There is a great divide between the number of women qualifying into the legal profession as either solicitors or barristers (more than 50%) and the number who make it into law firm partnership ranks (in most cases, fewer than 20%) or as Queen's Counsel. Such a disproportionate attrition rate represents a huge waste of talent and money, and the picture is not going to change overnight. Where is the legal profession going wrong?

1 minute read

Let's not kid ourselves - does the legal profession really care about diversity?

By Alex Novarese | March 16, 2011

These days you often hear of social inclusion or diversity "moving up the agenda" of City law firms. But if I'm honest, years of covering the profession has led me to the view that the commercial sector, at least, generally doesn't much care about this stuff. What is usually meant when it is said that things are "moving up the agenda" is that people feel the need to discuss something or take cosmetic steps that will in reality have little impact, not to actually do much substantive. There's a world of difference between the former and the latter.

1 minute read

Career Clinic: Miserly maternity pay leaves mum-to-be strapped for cash

By Legal Week | December 13, 2007

When I joined my current firm, I was encouraged to believe that my firm's maternity policy was in line with market standard in the City. Finding myself unexpectedly but happily pregnant, I recently had cause to check the details - and the arrangements are far from generous. Nearly half the additional maternity pay will be held back for a year and paid as a "bonus" only after I have been back at work for six months, which will leave me strapped for cash at the time I need it most.

1 minute read

Corporate Counsel

New Scoring Tool Assesses Outside Law Firms' DEI Efforts

By Jessica Mach | October 11, 2021

"I can't tell you how many times I've hoped for an industry standard to measure my outside counsels' diversity efforts. MCCA's Scorecard is that standard and meets the moment in this new era of investor focus on ESG goals," said Wanji Walcott, MCCA's chairwoman and Discover Financial Services' chief legal officer.

2 minute read

Legaltech News

Minority Corporate Counsel Association Releases Tool to Assess Law Firms' DEI Efforts

By Jessica Mach | October 11, 2021

"I can't tell you how many times I've hoped for an industry standard to measure my outside counsels' diversity efforts. MCCA's Scorecard is that standard and meets the moment in this new era of investor focus on ESG goals," said Wanji Walcott, MCCA's chairwoman and Discover Financial Services' chief legal officer.

2 minute read

The American Lawyer

Law Firms Are Willing to Pay for More Diverse Lateral Candidates, Raising Questions for Recruiters

By Patrick Smith | October 11, 2021

Demand for diverse legal talent is higher than ever, and recruiters are facing new pressure to place candidates from underrepresented backgrounds at the law firms they call clients.

5 minute read

National Law Journal

Mentorship Is One Key to Improving Diversity on the Bench, Hispanic Federal Judge Says

By Avalon Zoppo | October 8, 2021

During the "Hispanic Trailblazers on the Federal Bench" event, Judges Albert Diaz, Alicia Otazo-Reyes and Diana Saldaña spoke about the importance of a diverse judiciary and how mentorship plays a role in it.

5 minute read

Daily Business Review

'He Made Me a Judge': Mentorship Is One Key to Improving Diversity on the Bench, South Florida Judge Says

By Avalon Zoppo | October 8, 2021

During the "Hispanic Trailblazers on the Federal Bench" event, Judges Alicia Otazo-Reyes, Albert Diaz and Diana Saldaña spoke about the importance of a diverse judiciary and how mentorship plays a role in it.

4 minute read

New York Law Journal

'Shouldn't Be Any Surprises': US Judge Presiding Over Fire Department Race Lawsuit Reacts to Reports of Bias

By Jane Wester | October 8, 2021

U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis has been presiding over a lawsuit related to the integration of the fire department since 2007, with a series of special masters monitoring the department's efforts since 2010.

3 minute read

Texas Lawyer

Shareholders Send Message to Nike and FedEx About Diversity-Transparency Proposals

By Phillip Bantz | October 8, 2021

"Nike cannot currently claim leadership on diversity data transparency and our expectation is that it will begin to find itself isolated from its peers," said Meredith Benton, founder of Whistle Stop Capital.

3 minute read

Corporate Counsel

Nike, FedEx Shareholders Shoot Down Diversity-Transparency Proposals

By Phillip Bantz | October 7, 2021

"Nike cannot currently claim leadership on diversity data transparency and our expectation is that it will begin to find itself isolated from its peers," said Meredith Benton, founder of Whistle Stop Capital.

3 minute read

Legaltech News

Women of Legal Tech: Yvonne Sexton Reveals How She Learned to 'Own' Her Good Ideas

By Sherry Kappel | October 7, 2021

Bradley Arant's new CIO Yvonne Sexton tells her three-question strategy for developing new tech, why she wants to get back to the office, and how she's focusing her life and work on joy.

9 minute read

International Edition

Former Deloitte GC Takes on Unusual Recruiting Role After Retiring From Partnership

By Gail J. Cohen | October 7, 2021

Ken Freeden wants to leverage his knowledge and relationships to provide more opportunities for disabled lawyers and create a more inclusive bar.

4 minute read