Levelling up diversity: tech is one of the ways forward

Technology has a key role to play in helping law firms address diversity issues and achieve a genuine culture of inclusion. Jayne Durden of Anaqua spoke to two female lawyers about their experiences and their opinions of what needs to change.

The potent combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in social consciousness heralded by the rise to prominence of the Black Lives Matter movement is having a profound impact on just about every industry and business.

These twin forces for change are driving a radical rethink of deeply enshrined mindsets and behaviours, not only in terms of where and how we work, but also who does what work and the removal of bias in allocating work and opportunity.

For traditionally conservative industries such as legal and IP, that change may be even more marked. Many law firms, for example, will need to re-examine policies relating to diversity and inclusion in addition to home and flexible working in order to remain competitive - in terms of their productivity and efficiency; as well as their attractiveness to talented legal professionals and to clients, many of whom will be undergoing similar self-examination regarding their own working practices and the type of suppliers they wish to work with going forward.