Latest news – Clients favour male lawyers; Diversity and inclusion in spotlight; Reach out to your networks

Call for more mixed-gender legal teams

Male clients are significantly less likely to choose a woman to represent them, according to a new report from global legal market research firm Acritas. The research, which also points to the importance of mixed-gender legal teams, suggests male clients are a third less likely than female clients to choose female lead partners from their law firms. Men select a female lead in just 17 per cent of cases.

Acritas chief executive officer Lisa Hart Shepherd called on organisations to insist on quotas to address the situation. “The challenge for firms is that their male clients will be more likely to bring work to their male partners and the majority of clients are male. If clients, both male and female, can start to apply quotas in their work allocation – giving at least one in three matters to a female lead partner and demand gender diverse teams – this will start to balance the power and increase the chances of equity for women,” she says. “At the same time, if law firms can field gender-diverse teams and push their female lawyers to the forefront of relationships, this will help to balance out the gender gap. For both sides, these efforts will be rewarded with a better result – a more satisfying service for clients and stronger, more loyal relationships for firms.”

The report found that mixed-gender teams significantly outperform single-gender teams, with analysis of 12 KPIs revealing a rise in performance across the full suite of industry-recognised metrics according to 996 clients interviewed by Acritas. The biggest gain associated with mixed-gender teams is the strength of relationships.

Law Council promotes more diverse profession

The Law Council of Australia is building a safer and fairer legal profession with the launch of new resources supporting diversity and inclusion. The LCA says three new tools available on the Law Council website deliver national leadership on the issue of diversity and equity and will provide lawyers with important information to help them grasp the opportunities presented by changing times, expectations and workplace laws. The three new webpages specifically deal with:

1. Flexible workplaces in the legal profession;

2. How to make your workplace LGBTI+ friendly; and

3. Bullying and harassment in the workplace.

The Law Council believes the strength of the legal profession depends upon nurturing a professional environment that fosters and rewards individual ability, application and integrity, shielded from the impact of discriminatory, extraneous and arbitrary practices. It says it is in the best interests of employers to ensure that they provide workplaces where employees are free from harassment and discrimination based on attributes including gender, sexual orientation and family responsibilities.

The tools launched will build on other important equity and diversity initiatives developed by the Law Council, including the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study Report, the Equitable Briefing Policy, the Diversity and Equality Charter and the Unconscious Bias training program. The three new web pages can be accessed here.

Networking failures hurting executives

Not asking for help from their network is a major mistake that many executives regret, according to an American survey by a Robert Half Management Resources. When chief financial officers were asked to nominate their top networking mistake, one in three indicated that neglecting the expertise of peers in their network was the number one issue. The second biggest blunder, nominated by 23 per cent of respondents, was failing to keep in touch or reaching out only when they needed something. The CFOs were asked, “Which one of the following is the greatest networking mistake executives make?” Their responses were:

• Not asking for help: 30 per cent
• Failing to keep in touch or reaching out only when they need something: 23 per cent
• Failing to connect with the right people: 19 per cent
• Not thanking contacts when they provide help: 14 per cent
• Not helping others: 14 per cent.

The clear message, according to Tim Hird, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources, is “don’t be afraid to ask for help. We all need guidance from time to time, and people are usually happy to offer support when they can”. He added: “Business is changing so rapidly; no one has all the answers or expects others to. Executives need a robust network, including mentors, peers, staff-level contacts and experts from within and outside the company, to stay on top of trends, best practices and opportunities. To accomplish this, make sure you serve as a resource for your connections, too.”