Diversity in the legal profession is improving slowly, but surely; and clients could have a role in giving it a bit of a boost
The legal fraternity has taken a bit of a hit in the press recently, with claims of sexual harassment being levelled at some big law firms. There have been calls for corporate clients to flex their financial muscle and ditch firms where harassment occurs.
So, can change be pushed from the outside in?
At the upcoming Women in Law Summit in Auckland, Karen Clayton, General Counsel & Company Secretary of Air New Zealand, Gordon MacLeod, CEO of Ryman Healthcare, and Stephen Town, CEO of Auckland Council will join a panel discussion about championing change for women in law.
They will provide their perspective on whether as clients they will put up with allegations of unethical behaviour from their external legal teams, and will this affect their future selection process. Do clients have written ethical standards which they use when selecting suppliers?
Up for discussion will be whether clients would consider implementing minimum diversity standards to champion women in the legal profession and putting an end of the six-minute charge.
The 2018 program features a diverse range of speakers including heads of some of the top law firms in NZ such as Bell Gully, Russell McVeagh and Simpson Grierson. More information about the session and the Women in Law Summit program is available here.
The Women in Law Summit returns to Cordis Auckland on Tuesday 18 September.
A limited number of Super Saver tickets are still available at http://womeninlaw.co.nz/
