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04 May 2018 / Joanne Losty
Issue: 7791 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Mind the gap

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The gender pay gap reporting highlights the need for industry wide culture change, says Joanne Losty

  • The gender pay gap at most UK law firms is much worse than the average UK business at every level.
  • Remedying the pay gap will take a major effort across multiple areas.
  • Genuine agile working practices could assist with the overall cultural change.
  • As more millennials enter the profession, law firms will need to adapt their culture to fit shifting expectations.

The gender pay gap reporting deadline has come and gone. The results are in and City law firms have filed their figures. So how did the legal sector perform and what can be done to address the issues of diversity and flexible working which underpin much of the gap that still exists?

Background

First, the legislation which required companies to report needs to be addressed. Despite the Equal Pay Act 1970, which makes it illegal to discriminate between men and women in terms of pay and conditions, a significant gap still exists between

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Sheffield expansion continues with appointment of commercial property partner

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson strengthens banking and finance practice with latest partner appointment Paul Duggan

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Employment partner joins Ward Hadaway

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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