I was recently asked to share my thoughts and opinions of my experience of working in the legal profession by Modern Law Mag. The title of the article is “Holding Onto Talent” and is the section on “Celebrating Women in Law”.
The legal world is traditionally a very male-dominated profession, particularly with partners and the judiciary remaining male-centric, so….
How can we ensure that women get a seat at the leadership table?
I have been in the legal industry for over 30 years, and I haven’t seen the landscape of female leadership drastically evolve in all that time.
SRA data says that 35% of partners are women, but in the largest law firms, it’s only 31%. The answer is more convoluted than one might automatically believe, essentially until big law welcomes, with no agenda, women on the board.
We need to look at the professional services sector as a whole, including insurance and banking, because collaborations and partnership referrals won’t necessarily align until we are all on the same page.
We might have to wait for new generations to implement genuine equality and work on inclusive internal cultures for a fairer and diluted demographic. For now, though, when it comes to partners and decision-makers in law, it’s still male-dominated, but that doesn’t mean females aren’t calling the shots by choosing their own career paths in law under a different guise.
What do you think is the biggest hurdle women in law face?
and how can law firms help women overcome it?
Without internal support and a culture that breeds fairness and equality, women will face hurdles in navigating a true work/life balance.
Although recruitment in law has twirled 180 degrees this last year from being a candidates’ market to that of the employer, keeping hold of great staff relies on showing them that they are valued with actionable opportunities, including pay rises and promotions.
An employer might snap up a technically brilliant lawyer, compliance officer, or marketer but what makes them stay? Investing in our colleagues and employees, proving by precedent, that there is a flexible working environment, open dialogue, support for menopause, carers’ support, coupled with continued learning & development paths are what women want in a safe, happy and busy workplace.
Good ethics are key for a compliant law firm, which manages risk by investing in their people.
We’ve seen a lot of women leave a profession in the law after having children, so
What can be done to help and encourage those returning to work after periods of maternity or family-related leave?
When I had my first child, I worked in-house and the pressures of returning to work quickly were overwhelming.
I suffered from undiagnosed post-natal depression, whilst juggling childcare and had zero support from HR.
After my third child was born (11 years later), I worked in a more supportive private practice, however, because of a growing family to support, plus the challenges of working around my partner’s role as an officer in the London Fire Brigade, I felt that the only reasonable choice as a family was for me to revert to a lesser role, which I found frustrating.
I have run various webinars and forums with professional indemnity insurers over the last 2 years and they put wellbeing high on the list of managing risk. Claims arising due to overwork, stress, fear of speaking out or up are on the rise and the insurance market is holding law firm leaders accountable when it’s time to renew.
Holding onto talent is vital, therefore having the right inclusive culture with flexible work opportunities without the fear of reprisals would encourage more women to continue in this industry.
“What innovations have you seen in your area of the industry relating to women in law?”
There has been an obvious shift in women-led initiatives when it comes to access to justice campaigns; I’m also witnessing more trailblazing women in legal tech too.
As an SEO and data nerd myself, I am working on the effects of GenAI versus researched source content in law firms. Innovation for women in law is exciting, whether that’s driving EDI policies and controls, or heading up R&D programs, we are at the forefront right now.
As natural communicators, women are the vanguard of leading progressive businesses, through open speech and trusted dialogue. I am continuing to work as a consultant with women-led law firms who want a trusted communications partner to develop and innovate their business.
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Thanks again to Kate and Tracie at Charlton Grant on behalf of Modern Law Magazine for the opportunity to voice my opinions in this regard.