Diversity league table: female lawyers react
The latest diversity league table from the Black Solicitors Network has shown that while a small number of firms are nearing a 50/50 male-to-female partner ratio, there is still a large drop off in female representation between law firms’ junior and senior ranks.
The table, released yesterday (14 November 2012), revealed that Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, Pannone, Trowers & Hamlins and Winckworth Sherwood were among the top performers when it comes to female representation at partner level. That said, the respective proportions were still relatively low at 39 per cent, 39 per cent, 35 per cent and 42.5 per cent.
Here, senior female partners at those firms share their experiences of making it to the top.
Andrea Squires, Winckworth Sherwood
Winckworth Sherwood partner Andrea Squires
Some firms get it right and some firms don’t. I’ve had my fair share of the difficulties you get as a female partner or a female associate, though this firm is very supportive.
You’ve got to develop a reputation and a client base. You have to be respected in both the firm and by clients. You have to be prepared to make the commitment. There’s no point promoting for the sake of it. People have to contribute to the business or the business doesn’t survive. I think quotas create artificial practices, though some good does come out of them.
The sort of challenge I’ve faced in the past is not being taken seriously and not being given flexibility. The classic of male juniors being promoted ahead has happened. It undermines your confidence and your reputation with clients and in the firm.
I don’t think there have been dramatic changes in the last 10 or even 20 years, but with the focus on sustainable business practice I don’t think any firm can rely on client loyalty come what may. In an industry which is very competitive that focus on competition means the right people are coming forward.
There is pigeon-holing going on, which makes me nervous that it might affect female candidates. I think there is a tendency at some firms to expect women not to have the same career aspirations, to think that a job is enough for female solicitors.
Emma Holt
Pannone managing partner Emma Holt
I’ve felt very supported through two periods of six-month maternity leave. In my view that’s something to be celebrated. Work is work and I think people sometimes tend to forget that and lose perspective. Maternity leave can be overplayed and that can be troubling. Employers need to take a view that women are there for the whole of their careers.
I’m not a believer in people having to get to one stage to be offered something and then getting to the next stage to be offered something else. There are some high-flyers and there are people who take their time along the course to develop and things need to be offered on an individual basis.
Matthew Arnold & Baldwin partner Clare Stothard
I was happy working in the City but I knew that women who had children at that time tended to either not return to work or returned in a non-facing client role. I came to MAB when I was three years qualified and made partner in 1996 when I was 30. I had my first child six months later.
I was made an equity partner in 1999 when I was pregnant with my second child, which I think sent a strong message of support that you can have children and have a very successful career. I’m now chairman of the management board and lead, with another partner, the banking, finance and litigation team, which is 45 per cent of MAB.
I think there’s now a real recognition with clients that if their lawyer isn’t sitting at their desk it doesn’t mean that they’re not working or not available. The make-up of clients has changed. We have 30 per cent female equity partners and 38 per cent equity and I’m very proud of that but I don’t think you can ever be complacent.
Trowers & Hamlins senior partner-elect Jennie Gubbins
It’s a difficult philosophical question [whether diversity quotas are a good idea]. I’m an early feminist - if you’d asked me 30 years ago I would have said no. In education, half of us were women but half of us definitely aren’t partners. Something’s not working. Do role models help? I hope so, I really do. It’s about becoming normal. There is a point where you have enough of a mass that it becomes normal.
Readers' comments (7)
Dr. S A Visotsky | 16-Nov-2012 11:13 am
Have i lost my mind or did I just read a misprint? The "Black Solicitors Network", being mentioned in an article regards diversity? The name itself (Black Solicitors) implies blacks only need apply, right?
DISCLAIMER:
I am also a member of an ethnic minority, and in no way support such a body, full stop.
As an example, ONLY:
What if someone were to establish a "White Solicitors Network", or would that be considered racist? The name itself tells you all you need to know, or?
Get serious, we're Lawyers not patrons in a comedy club in Camden.
Shalom
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Anonymous | 16-Nov-2012 11:54 am
Dr Visotsky, I completely agree with you. Surely one body to ensure equality for all would be in itself more equal? I write this as a female would-be solicitor but I have no intention of joining any Women Solicitor Network if there is such a thing as I believe that there is no such thing as "positive" discrimination - only discrimination. Like when the Bar was encouraged to cap its levels of poeple of certain ethnic minorities - that is blatant racism against people who may be highly skilled but were ejected on the basis of the colour of their skin. If it were the other way around there would be outcry. I know it is all an effort to stop the 'old boys network' but the only way to REALLY do that is to take out the race, secual orientation and gender questions in all applications and allow true blind selection based on skill and merit. As for equal rights, noone should be denied them or given extra on the basis of their gender or skin colour etc. It is wrong.
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Julie Carlisle | 16-Nov-2012 1:55 pm
Hmmmm, anonymous, I fear you speak from the enviable position of never having faced direct discrimination. Lucky for you, but never forget that it does exist. True blind selection sounds great - how do you propose to ensure that it is applied?
For those of us who have been unlucky enough to encounter discrimination in any of its myriad forms, there can be comfort and empowerment in gender/race/class specific groups. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them. No good fight can be fought entirely alone.
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Anonymous | 16-Nov-2012 3:24 pm
Yes Julie I have actually - how much you assume! The best way to get rid of something is to not give it any platform in society. "Positive" discrimination is unjustificable in any sense anyway as it is discrimination nonetheless - and people would be affected just as much for not being BME/female/LGBT as if they were in the normal run of things. Blind selection would not take a massive amount of effort up to interview stage and thereon out be just as enforceable as other measures. And yes there may be "comfort" in groups dedicated to people with the same skin colour/genitals/etc as yourself but to those on the outside it can be frightening and worrying - especially if people from those groups campaign for and get rights not available to those outside eligibility for those groups.
Either campaign for REAL equality or keep schtum.
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Baldrick | 16-Nov-2012 5:25 pm
Whilst I think Anonymous's comments are somewhat naive, she is correct that (what she describes as) "blind" selection, for want of a better way of putting it, is actually quite easy prior to interview stage - indeed it is already undertaken by a number of public/quasi public organisations who require you to fill out an application form and will not see your CV or any ID details. They then produce a shortlist for interview (at which point of course the middle aged, grey haired white, former public school boys all pat each other on the back and give each other jobs/promotions).
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BSN Member | 21-Nov-2012 0:12 am
Just to clarify with regards to some of the above comments the Black Solicitors Network in no way endorses positive discrimination or discrimination of any sort for the matter. Our Network of legal professionals is extremely diverse and inclusive of all ethnicities. There are various legal and other professional networks which identify themselves as representing one minority however does not preclude membership from those who do not consider themselves to fall into the categorisation. It may be worth while however if more attention is placed on the important findings discussed in the above article and less on critiquing minor factors such as 'names' which is simply that a name.
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Julie Carlisle | 22-Nov-2012 1:29 pm
"The best way to get rid of something is not to give it any platform in society" - there is so much that's wrong with that statement that I hardly know where to begin, although I'll just run domestic violence and child sex abuse past you. It's precisely because some problems have been hidden/ignored that we face the problems we do.
Bit rich to tell someone to keep schtum when posting anonymously, by the way.
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