Law firms have begun publicly reporting their gender pay gap, as all employers with more than 250 employees are legally required to do by April.
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang reports no earnings differential among fee earners apart from ‘minimal pay gaps’ in its Bristol office, but across all its UK employees, it found a 32.8% median hourly earnings gap and a 17.3% mean hourly pay gap. It attributes this discrepancy partly to ‘the disproportionate female to male ratio in the firm, particularly in business support teams, as well as the high numbers of part-time female workers’ and says it is committed to working hard to improve these statistics.
Similar sentiments are expressed by Herbert Smith Freehills, which reports a 39% median hourly earnings gap and a 19% mean hourly rate gap. Shoosmiths reports a 13% median and 15% mean hourly rate gap.
Claire Rowe, CEO of Shoosmiths, said the firm was pleased its median pay gap was above the national average but recognised there was still more work to be done.
