President: Angela Hansen
The theme for 2014 was giving back.
AUT’s report into Women’s career progression in Auckland law firms: Views from the top, views from below was launched at the annual President’s function.
The research by The Gender & Diversity Research Group commissioned by AWLA, aimed to investigate the reasons behind the underrepresentation of women in senior positions within large law firms. It involved three phases of qualitative research:
- Phase 1: A survey was conducted with 144 respondents from 11 large law firms in Auckland, consisting of lawyers with over six years of experience but not yet at partnership level. Key barriers identified for women’s progression included the structure of the law business model, lack of recognition for part-time work and flexibility, responsibilities for childcare, masculine culture, and the absence of female role models.
- Phase 2: In-depth interviews were carried out with male and female lawyers from various firms who were not yet partners. The findings revealed that a significant majority of women perceived a trend of women leaving the profession, whereas a smaller percentage of men shared this view. Balancing family life was cited as a major challenge for women, impacting networking opportunities and career advancement.
- Phase 3: Interviews with female partners and managing partners/CEOs highlighted timing conflicts between partnership opportunities and family responsibilities as a major barrier for women. Successful female partners emphasised the crucial role of strong support systems at home in achieving their positions. The study also noted that while acceptance of part-time work and flexible practices could benefit gender diversity, these arrangements were still uncommon at the partnership level.
The research underscores structural and cultural factors within law firms that hinder women’s career progression. This emphasised the need for more supportive policies and a shift in organisational culture to achieve greater gender equity at senior levels, including more acceptance of part-time and flexible work hours.
The Dame Silvia Cartwright address was presented by Beatrice Mtetwa, a lawyer in Zimbabwe and Swaziland.