UK has highest ratio of female legal partners
MAGIC circle law firms in the UK boast the highest ratio of female partners in the whole of Europe, a report has revealed this morning, even though just 16 per cent of partner positions are held by women.
The UK tied with Holland as the European country with the most female partners, but both still lag well behind markets further afield such as China, where women make up 28 per cent of legal partnerships despite a population that comprises 119 men for every 100 women. City firm Linklaters has the highest proportion of women among UK firms, with 23.5 per cent of its partnership made up of women.
The research, carried out by legal recruiter Laurence Simons, shows that Spain has the lowest proportion of female partners, at just 6.3 per cent. Germany fared only slightly better, with 9.6 per cent, while just 13 per cent of partners at French law firms are women.
“It’s certainly good news that the UK is leading the way in ensuring gender diversity at the highest level,” said Lucinda Moule, managing director of Laurence Simons. “But ultimately these results demonstrate the desperate need for top-tier firms to make better provision for the promotion of women.”