Allen & Overy (A&O) has launched a new initiative, led by former senior partner David Morley, to support and mentor lawyers with leadership ambitions and improve female representation among the firm's senior ranks.

About 60 A&O lawyers are currently enrolled on the Leadership Centre programme, which aims to deliver tailored training to individuals who want to develop the skills needed to take on leadership roles.

Current senior partner Wim Dejonghe put forward the idea for the project to the firm's board, with Morley subsequently named chairman of the initiative.

A&O is working with a number of third parties to deliver the training, including executive coach training provider Meyler Campbell. Graduate business school INSEAD is running the initial programme, which will last for 10 months.

It consists of a series of in person workshops that are 'heavily individually focused' according to A&O HR head Sasha Hardman and talent head Fiona Colthorpe, who are leading the centre internally.

"The INSEAD programme is for partners who are not currently in leadership roles or who are relatively new to senior positions. The modules undertaken so far have focused on partners understanding themselves as leaders", says Colthorpe.

Morley, who served as A&O's senior partner for two terms from 2008 to 2016 and retired from the firm last year, is working on the initiative's delivery with a steering group that includes Santander head of legal John Collins.

"We've had a lot of support and buy in from the partnership. It's garnered a lot of interest and feedback from participants so far has been really positive. This is a long term focus and investment for the firm – we're only at the start of what we want to do," adds Hardman.

The initiative comes after A&O made up just two female partners in its latest promotion round. The firm announced earlier this year that all of its office managing partners will now be held accountable by the firm's leadership team for bringing sufficient numbers of women through to partnership.

Morley spent 36 years at A&O, having joined as a trainee in 1980. He went on to run the banking practice before being elected managing partner in 2003 and then senior partner in 2008. Earlier this year, he took on a new role as chair of UK-focused private equity firm Elaghmore Partners.