Regional law firms are outperforming their City counterparts when it comes to retaining and rewarding female talent, according to Legal Week research.

A Legal Week survey of the UK's top 30 law firms, published today, reveals that over the last three years, regional firms promoted on average 37% of female partners, compared with around 20% at the top 10 City firms and 19% at the magic circle. On average across the top 30, just under 28% of promotions have been female.

While women make up less than 19% of the partnership on average across the UK top 30 as a whole, this figure falls to 16% at the top 10 City firms, but increases to nearly 24% at regional players.

Shoosmiths has emerged as the most female-friendly law firm, with women making up just over half of its recent promotions and a third of its partnership overall.

In contrast, as of 1 May, just 12% of partners at Holman Fenwick Willan were female and 13% at both Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Simmons & Simmons.

Shoosmiths chief executive Claire Rowe (pictured above) said: "The reason we have found it easier to retain female talent is that we have a transparent promotion criteria based on merit."

Norton Rose's group head of commercial, real estates and disputes Deirdre Walker said law firms need to be more flexible, adding: "At various points in our careers other events are going on outside of work – this should not mean that your career is over. To end a career just because you want to put it on hold does not make sense."