BCLP sets target of 40% female and 18% ethnic minority partners by 2030
Law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has unveiled its goal to achieve 35% female partners and 15% ethnic minority partners by the end of 2025 across its global business.
The firm’s diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiative, announced on Wednesday, December 8, also pledged to achieve 40% female partners, and 18% ethnic minority partners within a decade.
According to the firm’s inaugural six-month D&I report, launched in spring 2020, BCLP presently has a proportion of 20%, 23% and 15% female partners in the US, UK, and EMEA respectively, while in the US and UK it has 5% and 14% ethnic minority partners respectively.
BCLP co-chairs Lisa Mayhew and Steve Baume, said: “Equality of opportunity is paramount to our firm’s values and vision, and the events of this past year have accelerated the level of urgency around D&I among our colleagues, clients and communities. We are committed to purposeful change that strengthens the future of our firm.”
The new D&I goals include promoting and ensuring the equal retention of ethnic minority trainee solicitors, lawyers and business services professionals when compared to their white counterparts, and female trainee solicitors, lawyers and business services professionals, when compared to their male counterparts. The firm also committed to improving its retention of LGBTQ and disabled trainee solicitors, lawyers and business services professionals.
BCLP partners Segun Osuntokun and Meridyth Andresen, said: “Equality of opportunity and fairness are at the heart of our approach. Our expectation is that all of our colleagues will know that they are able to operate on a level playing field. Our intention is to identify and address all barriers to that sense of equality”
They added: “As we actively focus on equity moving forward, we clearly recognise that setting aspirational goals alone is not enough and that we must act in a manner that will enable us to achieve our goals. Included in these actions will be a number of steps aimed at driving a more inclusive culture at BCLP.”
According to BCLP, its US diversity sponsorship programme has proved to be successful in nurturing diverse talent to partnership and in 2021 the programme will expand to the EMEA
The law firm has also set up “ BCLP Amplify”, which will bring together an inaugural cohort of 12 women across the business and legal sector for a series of training days, which will culminate in a TED-style speaker event in 2021.
“While we’re pleased with all of this momentum, there is still much to be done,” added the BCLP co-chairs. “Now is the time to be bold and to strive for lasting change. Together, we must embrace the power of belonging, D&I, and create an environment where all in our firm are valued, respected, celebrated and able to reach their full potential.”
This week, law firm Simmons & Simmons also revealed a set of targets to achieve greater ethnic and racial diversity across the firm within the next five years.
According to the D&I initiative, the firm aims to have 30% ethnic minority trainees by 2025, building on its present trainee ethnic make-up of 25%.
Did you enjoy reading this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories sent like this straight to your inbox
