Flexible working and better performance assessment are key to retaining more women in law, according to a recent survey by the Law Society and LexisNexis.

The survey, published to coincide with International Women's Day today (8 March), canvassed 1,144 respondents, with flexible working options and performance metrics that allow for fewer hours in the office cited as the best ways for the legal profession to retain more women.

Respondents said the primary reason more women do not reach senior positions in law is the difficulty in balancing career and family, followed by the profession's long hours culture. Other problems highlighted include resistence to flexible working and unconscious bias.