While women make up more than 60% of legal professionals, the profession is predominantly led by men; just 35% of partners are female and far fewer than this hold equity in their firm. There’s also still a significant pay gap of 25.4% within the law. It’s clear that something needs to change to reduce this disparity and help female lawyers to achieve their full potential by climbing the career ladder.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity. At Realm, we believe that everyone should be able to have a successful and fulfilling legal career no matter who you are and where you come from. Here are six things we do to #EmbraceEquity and level the playing field during the recruitment process.
We champion fair pay
Unfortunately, the legal profession has one of the largest gender pay gaps of any industry – 25.4%. At Realm, we aim to make sure that each lawyer we work with is paid fairly, no matter what their gender.
A big part of this is our annual salary research. Each year, we thoroughly survey the market and compile a breakdown of salary by PQE level for each of the practice areas we work in to help you understand exactly where you sit compared to other lawyers, supporting pay transparency within the sector and empowering you with accurate information.
We also have conversations with our law firm clients about what fair pay looks like (as one element of their full benefits package) to help them stay competitive and attract and retain talent.
We strongly advocate for flexible working arrangements
For many lawyers, the benefits of working remotely are invaluable. At the very least, it can mean being more present, having the ability to manage your caseload and being less stressed about getting to where you need to be on time.
At its best, remote working arrangements can stop those with caregiving responsibilities – which, research shows, is more likely to be women – missing out on opportunities, feeling like they have no choice but to reduce their hours or dropping out of the workforce altogether.
To help create equal opportunity, each year, we publish data on what the average flexible and home working arrangement looks like within the sector. This helps law firms keep their policies competitive; on average, most law firms currently offer between two and three days a week from home.
In addition, we will always ask the law firms we work with to consider whether a role could be fulfilled on a part-time basis and ensure our advertising makes this clear.
We provide support with conversations about salary
Research shows that women are not only less likely to ask for a pay rise compared to their male counterparts, but when they do, they settle for less.
If we help you find a new opportunity, we’ll handle salary negotiations on your behalf, saving you from any potentially difficult or awkward conversations and helping make sure you receive an offer you’re happy with.
We can also provide you with free advice on how to broach the subject of a pay rise with your employer so that you can enjoy better remuneration even when staying put.
We use gender-neutral and inclusive descriptions within our job adverts
When we advertise our opportunities, we will always use gender-neutral terminology in job titles and try to be as inclusive as possible when writing our job descriptions. We’re very careful with the language we use and avoid male-sounding words like “competitive” or “target-driven” or female-sounding words like “empathetic” or “well-organised” which could (and have been proven to) dissuade individuals of the opposite gender from applying. This means that we attract a more even spread of capable lawyers when it comes to gender.
We support women to strive for more
While 61% of lawyers are female, a relatively small proportion reach senior roles – only 35% of partners are female. Helping women achieve their full potential is something we are passionate about and have spoken at length on this topic – including at a recent seminar.
As a company where 70% of its team and 80% of its Senior Leadership Team identify as female, at Realm, we are only too familiar with the potential effects of things like imposter syndrome and the “motherload”, both of which can stop women from exploring progression and skill development.
Sometimes women just need someone to believe in them and support them in taking the next step. If you are looking for a cheerleader, we’re here for you. If you’re struggling to reach the next rung of the career ladder at your current firm, we can give you a rounded view of the market, including progression opportunities at other firms.
Or, if you’re happy where you are, we can advise you in the lead-up to your annual appraisal or performance review to help you progress at your current firm. Drawing on our specialist knowledge of the market within your practice area, we can suggest ways in which you can improve your prospects of promotion without moving firms by, for instance, gaining board experience, boosting your personal brand or expanding the breadth of work you deal with.
We provide female lawyers with a platform
Through our podcast series, video content, written interviews and newsletters, we offer lawyers a range of opportunities to showcase their achievements and share their career journeys with our extensive network. We always aim for a diverse and inclusive range of speakers and guests so that we represent the legal profession as fully as possible.
As part of International Women’s Day this year, we’re giving those within our fantastic network the opportunity to shine a light on the female lawyers who inspire them (and give them a chance of winning a surprise gift from Realm!)
Whether it’s a friend, your manager, or a colleague, if there’s a particular legal professional who you’d like to celebrate, you can nominate them using the form below.
