Here Come The Women Partners Says Australian Law Firm Survey

We’ve all suffered many stories about women lawyers who fail to make the top echelons of law practice and in New Zealand that story continues to be the case.  However, the Australian law profession appears to be showing the way towards a growing trend of having women in partnership.

The Australian Financial Review has conducted a partnership survey that shows women now comprise over 60 per cent of senior associates in the firms surveyed, which augers welll for their eventual elevation to partnership.

Only 24 per cent of women in Australia (in the AFR surveyed firms at least) have made the top ranks but the breakthrough is expected.

“We will see women be equal in numbers as we increasingly focus on gender equality at all points of promotion, eliminate gender bias and create more flexible workplaces using technology,” said Annette Hughes, a partner of Corrs Chambers Westgarth who is also the firm’s diversity council co-chair.

Ms Hughes said it was critical that firms used flexible career paths to ensure talented women were retained in the profession.

Corrs had the highest proportion at the big firms, with women making up 66 per cent of its senior associates. Like many firms, Corrs has gender targets, which ensure half of the pool of eligible partner candidates are female. Herbert Smith Freehills (64 per cent), Norton Rose Fulbright (61 per cent) and Allens (60 per cent) also had a high proportion of female senior associates.

Overall, Seyfarth Shaw topped the list, as five of the firm’s six senior associates, 84 per cent, are women.

Seyfarth Shaw senior associate Amber Millhouse said having strong female partners was encouraging for women at her level and that advances in technology and flexible work practices opened up opportunities.

“It’s a demanding profession and technology means we’re available 24 hours a day,” Ms Millhouse said. “I’m lucky to be at a firm that recognises the need for flexible working,” Ms Millhouse said.

Herbert Smith Freehills Australian managing partner Jason Ricketts said the firm’s targets for women in the partnership, training for senior management in unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, as well as mentoring and networking workshops for women, were all important in helping to eliminate barriers to promotion included.

“We have a clear objective to have more women in partnership and senior management roles,” Mr Ricketts said.

“We do expect to see more women progress through the ranks.”

Norton Rose Fulbright’s managing partner in Australia, Wayne Spanner, said the firm’s global target of 30 per cent female partners by 2020 and career strategies program meant there would be more female promotions.

“Helping women advance in their careers is not only the right thing to do, but it makes good business sense as well,” he said.

Allens director of people and development Jane Lewis said promoting people based on capability, not seniority, and having more structured career support and coaching accelerated the career progression of its talented women.

“Since its introduction we have seen improvements in the retention of female senior associates, which in turn is strengthening our partner pipeline,” she said.

Source: Australian Financial Review