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CAREER ADVANCEMENT INTO PARTNERSHIP:
The 5 Key Recommended Strategies for Advancement into Partnership
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Data Collection, Measurement and Training
• Collect data on the diversity composition of associates, income and equity partners and other professional
roles (statistics should track hiring, retention and committee membership by gender);
• Measure the diversity data annually and prepare an annual report, distributable to all professionals; and
• Diversity and inclusion and gender bias training should be provided to all firm professionals.
Demonstrate Commitment to Advancement of Women
• Establish a Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee, supported by senior partners in the firm;
• Adopt a firm-wide policy statement on inclusion of women lawyers; and
• Make promotion of diversity and inclusion a partnership compensation criteria.
Talent Management
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Adopt a formal performance evaluation process which tracks to partnership criteria;
Evaluate associates on a regular basis;
Ensure female lawyers have either a formal or informal coach, mentor or sponsor;
Promote active career planning; and
Any evaluations of associates or partners for compensation or other purposes should be based on pro-rated,
annualized and published statistics.
Retention and Leadership
• Encourage and train female lawyers for leadership positions; and
• Identify leadership opportunities and communicate those opportunities to female lawyers.
Advancement into Partnership
• Assess criteria for admission to partnership to ensure gender neutrality;
• Publish and communicate comprehensive partnership admission criteria and policy to all associates (the
policy should reflect the financial implications of partnership and address issues relating to leaves of absence
and alternative work arrangements); and
• Ensure the partnership admission committee is diverse and includes at least one female partner.