Another crop of firms have announced their partnership promotions. And while fewer partners have been made up this year, the proportion of women has risen slightly.
So far only two firms, Addleshaws and Freshfields, have made up more UK partners this year than last. But of the 14 firms to have released their new partner figures so far, only one has not included any new female partner. That looks considerably more balanced that a year ago: by this time in 2012 six firms had announced that they were not promoting any women.
One firm in particular, legacy SNR Denton, has gone from boy's club to hen night, confirming that after 2012's men-only round all three of its new UK partners are women. And Slaughters probably feels a little faint as its new female partner is only its second since 2009.
Meanwhile FFW, Macfarlanes, Wragges and, Bird & Bird all achieved gender equality. While that may not reflect the gender split further down the ranks, at least it looks like a step in the right direction. However Olswang appears to rate the ability to pee standing up rather higher, as in two years it has made up five blokes in the UK but can't seem to find any worthy women.
The table, which will be updated as more results come in, currently looks as follows:
Tip Off ROF
So far only two firms, Addleshaws and Freshfields, have made up more UK partners this year than last. But of the 14 firms to have released their new partner figures so far, only one has not included any new female partner. That looks considerably more balanced that a year ago: by this time in 2012 six firms had announced that they were not promoting any women.
One firm in particular, legacy SNR Denton, has gone from boy's club to hen night, confirming that after 2012's men-only round all three of its new UK partners are women. And Slaughters probably feels a little faint as its new female partner is only its second since 2009.
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Dentons changes the record |
Meanwhile FFW, Macfarlanes, Wragges and, Bird & Bird all achieved gender equality. While that may not reflect the gender split further down the ranks, at least it looks like a step in the right direction. However Olswang appears to rate the ability to pee standing up rather higher, as in two years it has made up five blokes in the UK but can't seem to find any worthy women.
The table, which will be updated as more results come in, currently looks as follows:
| Firm |
No. of partners made up in the UK 2013 (2012) |
No. of women 2013 (No. of women 2012) |
% women (%women 2012) |
| Dentons |
3 (3) |
3 (0) |
100% (0%) |
| FFW |
4 (4) |
2 (1) |
50% (20%) |
| Macfarlanes | 4 (5) |
2 (0) |
50% (0%) |
| Wragges | 2 (3) |
1 (1) | 50% (33%) |
| Bird & Bird | 2 (3) |
1 (1) | 50% (33%) |
| Slaughter and May |
2 (2) | 1 (0) | 50% (0%) |
| Addleshaw Goddard | 8 (6) | 3 (4) | 38% (67%) |
| Shoosmiths |
6 (7) |
2 (4) |
33% (58%) |
| Freshfields |
6 (5) | 2 (0) | 33% (0%) |
| Dechert | 3 (0) | 1(0) | 33% (0%) |
| BLP |
7 (9) | 2 (5) | 29% (56%) |
| Hogan Lovells |
5 (8) |
1 (2) |
20% (25%) |
| A&O |
6 (6) |
1 (3) |
17% (50%) |
| Olswang | 2 (3) | 0 (0) | 0% (0%) |
| Total | 60 (64) |
22 (21) |
37% (33%) |
Comments
78
75
These figures are pointless without a corresponding analyis of gender and racial/ethnic diversity among the partnerships as a whole.
It's lazy reporting like this that reinforces ideas that women don't have anything to complain about. There's still a long way to go before there's gender parity in UK firms.
72
73
I know this is more work, but sampling a couple of years of a rare event such as partnership promotion numbers, which will be inherently volatile from year to year, really doesn't tell you anything worthy of comment or analysis.
As a profession we're quite innumerate enough already - don't encourage us!
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75
Apols if unclear. We meant that the Dentons new partner gang has switched from a boy's club to a hen night - not the partnership itself. Same goes for the gender equality ref.
Anonymous user 12/04/2013 12:10: Good idea. We'll fire up the hamster.
73
55
Not so much as dress-down Friday as cross-dress Friday?
61
79
Though the females that were promoted deserve the promotion I cannot help think this is a PR exercise after the redundancies, merger and loss of clients...