The gender pay gap among White & Case's London contract partners has grown by nearly 8% on a mean basis since last year, up to 11.4%.

However, the mean pay gap for equity partners alone dropped slightly to 33.2%, down from 34.9% last year.

For all London-based partners and employees, the firm has improved its mean gender pay gap slightly to take its current pay gap figure to 62.2%, down from 64.8%.

In its announcement, White & Case said: "The difference in mean and median hourly pay for our contract partners has increased versus 2018. In a small population, a larger number of women being promoted into the contract partner pool and the promotion of some senior female contract partners into equity can influence our gender pay gap significantly from year to year."

A spokesperson for White & Case said in a statement: "White & Case is committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace, where all our people have equal opportunity to succeed. This includes an ongoing focus on increasing the representation of women in senior roles, and the implementation of policies and programmes that will address the causes of our gender pay gap in London."

Earlier this week, Magic Circle firm Linklaters announced that its own gender pay gap had widened slightly for all employees, including partners. Allen & Overy was the first firm to announce its gender pay gap figures in September, which saw it expand its reporting to cover sexuality this year.