Finalists AB & David Afriwise Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie

Winner AB & David

AB & David's work to retain and support women with families was recognised by the judges who chose to award the firm the Diversity, Transformation and Economic Empowerment Award.

Based on a theory that happy staff will make happy clients, the Ghana-based firm is attempting to become more supportive of those that want to have both a career and a family. The strategy evolved in part because of the high number of female lawyers and support staff that were typically leaving private practice to work in a government agency when they had their first child, needing more flexible and less demanding working lives.

The firm has created a 'Women to the Top' programme, with the firm's managing partner, Isabel Boaten, and two of the firm's four partners being women. A number of practice heads are also women, with the firm maintaining a 60:40 female to male divide over the last three years.

Other initiatives have seen one room converted into a nursery while the firm runs an active secondment programme with a number of international firms to promote career development. "It must be a pleasure to work there," said the judges of the winning firm in this category. "The positive impact of these diversity, transformation and economic empowerment measures is phenomenal."

Pictured from left to right: Isabel Boaten, managing partner, AB & David, and Anthony Parker, head of events, Legal Week