The vast majority of partners believe law firms need to do more to make corporate networking activities more inclusive for both men and women, with 97% of female respondents to a Legal Week survey saying work events are still too focused on traditionally male interests.

As the scandal surrounding the infamous Presidents Club charity dinner continues to simmer, the results of the latest Big Question survey highlight widespread concerns among partners about the overt male focus of many corporate events – a dominance that many believe is still acting as a barrier to female career progression.

Eighty-six percent of respondents to the survey – which garnered responses from more than 250 partners – say law firms need to make corporate networking activities more inclusive, including almost 50% who think firms must try "much" harder.

However, the survey found a significant difference in opinion between men and women on what law firms should be doing to rectify this, with almost all female respondents (97%) of the belief that law firms should be trying harder to make such events more inclusive, while in stark contrast, more than 50% of male respondents said the legal profession does not have a problem with corporate events being too focused on men.

With regards to whether men-only events are still acceptable in this day and age, opinion was broadly similar among men and women, with 58% of all respondents saying they disapproved of such events. Only 13% of respondents had attended a men-only event, and of those, only 20% had attended one in the past year

However, some female partners argue that their key objection to events like the Presidents Club dinner is not the male-only element, but the sleaziness. The survey shows that some lawyers continue to go to male-oriented events, with a quarter of all respondents saying they have been to an event at which hostesses were employed, and one in 10 admitting they have been to a strip club on a work outing.

Linklaters corporate partner Sarah Wiggins (pictured) says: "I'm surprised 10% say they have been to strip clubs. If I found out that people I knew had been to them, I would call it out. I don't think that's appropriate – women- and men-only events are fine, but things that are sleazy or bring men into disrepute are not."

Wiggins adds taking along children, partners or spouses creates "a totally different vibe" and "stops events getting sleazy".

Simmons & Simmons disputes partner Caroline Hunter-Yeats (pictured) says: "The bit we all object to is the sleazy element – it's not the gender. It has got to be right that people of a similar gender can have a work evening out that is not demeaning to others. I am genuinely surprised by the number being taken to strip clubs."

About a quarter of respondents also said their law firm does not have a clear policy on acceptable behaviour at networking events. Moreover, if a lawyer's attendance at an event is deemed to be inappropriate, 71% of respondents said they should be warned, while just 5% said they should be fired.

Fieldfisher partner Jill Greenfield says: "I do think sometimes you go to dinners where there are auctions with young women carrying around heavy pictures. It doesn't look right and makes people feel uncomfortable. Going forward, I can see how people will think about that and think more about the demographic – more of that needs to happen."

More than 80% of respondents said that non-inclusive networking activities make it more difficult for women to progress in law – a belief held by 93% of female respondents and 75% of men.

CMS senior partner Penelope Warne (pictured) commented: "More still needs to be done to improve 'City' culture. Although significant steps forward have been made, women often find career opportunities are harder to attain. Business social events can also sometimes leave women feeling awkward or uncomfortable. Law firms have an important role to create a diverse and inclusive culture and to ensure values of respect and trust are recognised throughout their organisations – this requires responsible leadership where it is known that there is zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour."

Speaking about their own experiences, some female partners say they have felt directly excluded from events. Greenfield (pictured) says: "When I was a trainee at another law firm, the firm was organising a golf club event and women were not allowed in a bar. I went to see the managing partner and told him how inappropriate I thought that was, and it was changed. I thought: 'I don't feel happy with this, I haven't gone into the law to come up against these silly barriers.'"

Wiggins comments: "There's only been one time in my career where I've felt excluded, which was when I was out with a legal headhunter who wanted to do work with Linklaters. We were with another male partner and this headhunter kept talking about rugby. I thought it was a waste of my time, given that he made no effort to include me."

Among the types of professional social events cited as the least exclusive to men, most partners picked theatre visits and music concerts, with art exhibitions and live sport events also identified as acceptable for both genders.

Wiggins comments: "Events around music, art galleries and theatre are great. You're usually using networking events to establish relationships with people, so theatre with dinner beforehand and art exhibitions are opportunities to do things with people that are like-minded."

Travers Smith pensions head and diversity and inclusion board member Daniel Gerring says Travers has worked hard to make its events "as inclusive as possible", which has included publishing a best practice guide for partners on how to organise corporate events.

Gerring also points to activities such as art and music as particularly inclusive, giving the example of a female associate who had "struggled to find the right event to invite a very senior male client to".

"It didn't appeal to her to take him to a sporting event or to take him out for dinner. She was trying to find a corporate hospitality experience which they would both enjoy and which could help build their relationship. She invited him to our corporate social responsibility art event, which turned out a starting point to building a very strong relationship," Gerring says.

Greenfield concludes that law firms need to "very wary" when planning events for the year. "It is a natural thing for men to say to other men: 'let's go to the bar, let's meet this client'. The real problem is law firms may not be talking to women about what could be a good idea for marketing and decisions are made at a senior level where there are fewer women."