Linklaters invested £8m in cash, pro bono and volunteering time in the communities around its offices during the last financial year, despite the fact the time its staff spent volunteering fell by 31.5% compared with the previous year.

The firm's fourth annual corporate responsibility report said the firm's investment in local projects equated to 1.5% of its pre-tax profits, with £2.5m of the investment coming in cash.

However the number of hours spent on voluntary work by staff stood at 43,660 during 2010-11, falling from a record high of 63,750 the previous year, with the firm explaining the drop by pointing to higher activity levels across the board and a smaller number of secondments to not-for-profit organisations. Thirty-four percent of the firm's employees and staff took on pro bono and voluntary work in 2010-11, compared with around 41% the previous year.

Linklaters' report also shows that the pro bono advice the firm had provided to charitable organisations including Allia had helped generate nearly £7.5m over the last two years in structured finance investment.

The firm also significantly reduced its environmental impact, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 6.5%.

Targets for the 2011-12 financial year include introducing measures intended to increase the number of female partners, ensuring that 25% of staff volunteer in every office, as well as setting global objectives for environmental impacts.

Senior partner Robert Elliott said: "Volunteering levels have reached 25% in all but two countries in which we have an office and we are more efficient in our use of energy than ever before."

He added: "Although we have made good progress with diversity and inclusion, we are clear that we still have more to do. Initiatives like our Gender Equality Action plans mean that we are determined to make our corporate responsibility aspirations a reality."

Other facts about Linklaters in 2010-11 detailed in the report include:

  • 27 offices in 19 countries
  • 4,695 partners and staff firmwide
  • 2,126 qualified lawyers including partners
  • 473 partners
  • 16% female partners
  • 34% of the firm involved in volunteering activities