Linklaters is to grant all employees the right to request a formal flexible working arrangement, no matter how long they have been with the firm and without the need to explain why they need it. 

The revised U.K. policy goes beyond the statutory requirement, which states that staff need to be employed for 26 weeks before such a request can be made.

Liz Cope, Linklaters senior adviser on global diversity and inclusion, said: “We feel flexible working should be offered from the outset.”

She added: “Often when people are asked why they want to do flexible working, there's a bias around who will be allowed to work flexibly. We've really taken that out of the equation and instead are asking employees how they think it can work for them.”

The revision is part of the firm's efforts to remove any stereotyping or challenges that may exist around who can work flexibly.

Cope said the biggest challenge is finding the right type of flexibility for the right roles and the new policy will create greater opportunities to try different approaches. 

She said: “One of our mottos is: try it, explore the possibilities, then try it and tweak it along the way.”

A recent study of research into law firm diversity initiatives revealed that focusing flexible working on women can deepen gender silos.

Cope said: “I believe more people, including men, will continue to take up flexible working. That change is coming more slowly than I'd hope for, but it is definitely coming.”

Linklaters launched an agile working toolkit earlier this year, which highlights case studies of working experiences and includes examples of partners working part-time and working remotely. It also includes a range of tools and technology tips to guide those wanting more flexible working arrangements.

At the start of the year, Linklaters also expanded its reverse mentoring programme, after running a pilot scheme last year.