While people continue to challenge the extent of gender and racial equality in the leadership of legal firms, there’s no doubt that there remains genuine disparity across the board.
At the current rate of progress, for example, it’s thought that achieving a gender balance and equality in senior leadership teams may not occur until 2043. Similar hurdles exist with regards to race and tackling this is key if talented people of all descriptions are able to progress and enhance the legal system in the UK.
Fortunately, Squire Patton Boggs continue to do excellent work to drive equality both in the workplace and the community, from addressing the struggles finding employment following natural disasters to providing a safe working space for displaced women.
Addressing the Puerto Rico Disaster Response
When Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico in 2017, Squire Patton Boggs acted quickly to announce its Sustained Impact Fellowship Program.
This focused initially on post-hurricane disaster relief and community rebuilding, and it continues to have an impact as the region continues to recover.
More recently, the leading capital market lawyers also welcomed two new law students into the fellowship, creating a significant opportunity for the graduates in question and enabling them to participate in a truly ground-breaking project.
This is particularly true when you consider the work that the fellowship has done to broaden access to justice and environmental stewardship, helping those affected by Hurricane Maria and similar natural disasters across the globe.
What About the Safe Harbor Project and Women of Influence?
More recently, Squire Patton Boggs’ have created the so-called “Safe Haven” project, which is volunteer-led and enables law students whose work has been disrupted in Ukraine to continue their training elsewhere.
Initially, the brand welcomed Yuliia Pavolva, Oleksandra Hnatiuk and Dariia Zyma into the fold, with Yuliia and Dariia starting the secondment in the Squire Patton Boggs’ Paris office.
As for Oleksandra, she has joined the Berlin office, as part of the Safe Harbor for UA Students initiative. This is an important project in the current climate and one that provides much-needed opportunities to law students whose higher education has been disrupted.
The firm has also made tremendous strides to help afford women leadership roles while removing many of the historic and cultural barriers to entry that have prevented females from rising up the ranks in the legal space.
This was borne out recently when Squire Patton Boggs Labor and Employment partner Carmen Cole was recognised by the LA Business Journal as a 2022 ‘Woman of Influence’.
This prestigious honour is awarded annually to female attorneys from the Los Angeles region, primarily those who work hard to improve their profession and the communities that they serve.
Certainly, Carmen Cole works with employers to circumnavigate complex employment law issues, while using her extensive human resources experience to understand her clients’ needs and treat them with sensitivity at all times.
