Law firms are constantly seeking new ways to address the gender imbalances within their firms. This International Women's Day, Law.com International asks women at the top of their game in the U.K. market what firms — and their male colleagues — can do to help bridge the gap in inequality for the next generation of female lawyers.

What is the one most practical thing a law firm can do to help women rise through the ranks?

Jane Edwarde, Slaughter and May

Jane Edwarde, head of real estate at Slaughter and May: "There are a few practices within law firms that could be improved to promote a healthier balance. Sending emails on a Sunday evening can unfortunately be quite a common practice, for example. These might well be tasks that are meant to be actioned on Monday, but they instead arrive unwelcome on a Sunday evening at 6pm!

"Similarly, scheduling conference calls at a time that's more manageable for everyone, rather than 8am or 7pm is helpful. This won't always be possible, but in instances where it is, these are small practical things that make our days more manageable and which add up over the course of a career."

Samantha Lake Coghlan, co-chair of Goodwin Procter's London office: "Law firms need to get to the point where they pivot their diversity and inclusion focus from education to meaningful action. I am lucky to be at a firm that has been pioneering in this regard: from being the first AmLaw 100 firm to have a female leader in the U.S. to our involvement in the 'Move the Needle' initiative, which sets public, ambitious diversity goals to achieve in the next five years.

Samantha Lake Coghlan, Goodwin Procter

"Firms need to go beyond lip service and make commitments to D&I goals – there is still a fear of failure over setting targets."

Jules Quinn, employment partner at King & Spalding: "Listen to your clients. The recent GC for Diversity and Inclusion - a statement of support –  shows the direction of travel here. Follow the money! Clients are frequently the biggest advocates for diversity and inclusion and sending work or taking work away because of gender diversity in any particular firm will move the needle."

Melissa Butler, London managing partner at White & Case: "Coaching and mentoring are incredibly valuable. Having support and guidance from someone in a more senior position as you move through key stages of your career can really help focus the mind on what goals and ambitions you have and how you're going to achieve them.

Melissa Butler, White & Case

"The responsibility cannot all be on the women lawyers"

"Closely aligned to that, we've introduced sponsors for women lawyers on track for partnership and have programmes for women partners to support them in business development and preparation for leadership roles. But the responsibility cannot all be on the women lawyers. Firms have a responsibility to look at how they evaluate and promote female lawyers and ensure women are being given a fair shot."

Karen Seward, global litigation head at Allen & Overy: "We need to open up our minds to what inclusion really means on the ground looking holistically at a team; nurturing what individuals are good at, but at the same time as accepting their weaknesses and factoring in how those weaknesses can be supplemented by the skills of others.

"We have to challenge each other to move from looking at potential talent and thinking, 'I don't see any value in you so you don't have any,' to 'I don't see any value in you, what am I missing?'"

Kathleen Russ, senior partner at Travers Smith: "The work allocation system is crucial to the success of any lawyer's career.  Applying careful thought to the fairness of the processes around the work allocation system, will pay dividends in retaining and then promoting talented women in private practice."

What can men in the industry do to help their female colleagues' career progression?

Jules Quinn, King & Spalding

Sandra Wallace, DLA Piper joint managing director for the U.K. and Europe: "Be honest and acknowledge that good intentions alone won't get us where we need to be. Firms should not be afraid to set clear goals to improve the representation of women."

Natasha Harrison, managing partner at Boies Schiller Flexner: "Take parental leave, take responsibility for childcare and other outside-of-work requirements so that the perception moves from it being a 'woman's thing' to a 'person's thing'."

Quinn, King & Spalding: "Mentors and role models are important but we need to be joined up in this; we need the help of men because they make up the majority of partners and leaders.

"Diversity has a proven positive impact on the financial metrics of an organisation. It is in everybody's interests to promote diversity and female talent. Most men are not sexist but many men do not think about the absence of women on pitch teams or client teams or slates for partnership promotion."

"Take responsibility for childcare and other outside-of-work requirements so that the perception moves from it being a 'woman's thing' to a 'person's thing'"