World's largest law firm rethinks approach to promotion of women

Baker & McKenzie is overhauling its approach to the promotion of female lawyers in a bid to double the proportion of women in its equity partner ranks.

The firm, which has a 15% female equity partnership, is aiming to increase this figure to 30% with a shift away from billable hour targets – a factor that has long hampered the career progression of working mothers.

More importance will now be placed on individuals' overall non-billable contributions, including their involvement in client and practice development, team building, promotion of firm culture and values, profile-raising and leadership. 

While the shift away from billable hours is intended to ramp up female partner numbers, it will also apply to men. 

The $2.3bn (£1.5bn) firm – the world's largest by revenue – also plans to communicate better with female lawyers about how they are being assessed as well as bringing in a new mentoring system exclusively for women.

The initiative is being led by the firm's global diversity and inclusion committee, which is chaired by partner and executive committee member Raymundo Enriquez. Currently, 51% of the firm's associates and 30% of salaried partners are women. 

There is no target date by which Bakers hopes to achieve the increase in female partner count and there will be flexibility in terms of how individual regions set about bringing it into effect. 

"Bakers has a long history of women in leadership positions," said London partner and executive committee member Beatriz Araujo (pictured). 

"Like many firms, though, we believe we have further to go, and we have implemented a wide range of programmes to encourage the retention and promotion of women within our firm and to ensure that more women assume leadership positions."  

Asia managing partner Winston Zee said it was important for firms to recognise the unique circumstances of their female lawyers. 

He added: "To be appointed as an equity partner, you need to jump through a lot of hoops. If you use billable hours as the sole benchmark measurement, female lawyers who take time out for family commitments will likely find it more difficult to meet the criteria."

The number of women making partner at top law firms has come under growing scrutiny in recent years, amid a broader push for female representation in senior business roles. 

Just a handful of firms have clear targets for boosting their female partner count. Ashurst said in October 2011 it wanted a quarter of its management posts to be filled by women within three years, while King & Wood Mallesons announced last July that it was aiming to boost the percentage of women in its Australian partnership from 25% to 30% by 2015.

Similarly, Hogan Lovells is aiming for a 30% female partnership by 2022, with Eversheds targeting 30% by 2017. Meanwhile, Addleshaw Goddard is planning to boost its female partner count from 20% to 25% by 2014.