Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills topped the 2021 list while a number of firms appeared in the ranking for the first time. To see the full Top 25 Attraction Firms ranking, click here.

Ashurst has kept their place at number five this year – which Leah South, APAC head of people and culture, said was particularly encouraging post-pandemic.

“We’re proud to again be considered a sought-after employer by our legal peers, particularly in a pandemic which posed many challenges. I believe it is due to our vision of being the most progressive law firm resonating in the market,” she said.

“We also pride ourselves on having one of the most collaborative and collegiate environments that allows our people to deliver to their full potential, whatever their career aspirations are. The firm provides our people the opportunity to work on clients and matters at the very top end of the market in a supportive and flexible environment.”

Earlier this year, Ashurst launched their new parental leave policy: the firm now offers 26 weeks of fully paid leave to staff members, irrespective of gender identity. Legal staff will now also have a three-month reduction in “chargeable” hours targets once they return to work.

Moreover, the policy includes pregnancy loss provisions that comprise two weeks of paid leave for anyone who suffers a pregnancy loss, whether it happens directly to them, their partner or their surrogate mother, plus an additional five days for related appointments. Ms South said this had been a key initiative for the firm to further support their staff.

“Building tangible support for people building extraordinary careers and a family is critically important. Our global parental leave principles recognise the diversity of family life and establish consistent, market-leading support across all of our global offices,” she said.

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“This represents a significant enhancement to our existing policies and reflects how we want to ensure that our people get the right level of support.”

In addition to their parental leave policy, Ms South said that flexibility had remained a priority for the firm post-pandemic.

“We have long talked about the importance of innovation, of openness and of flexibility. Flexibility is becoming increasingly important for organisations across Australia as they recognise it as a key enabler of gender equality.

“Attracting and retaining diverse talent is crucial to future-proofing the workplace and the Australian economy. Making workplaces more flexible and responsive to the needs of employees is a key way of doing this,” she added.

“With remote working, there also needs to be a focus on communication, and we are continuing to find new and different ways to engage with staff. It is important they are still feeling as supported and connected with their colleagues as they would with in-person contact, and we continue with the same training and learning opportunities.”

Moving forward, Ms South said that attracting and retaining top talent remains paramount for the firm, as well as retaining a good employee culture.

“Our strategy moving forward is to put our culture and our people at the forefront and place inclusion, diversity and belonging at the heart of everything we do. Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging is key to Ashurst’s vision of being the most progressive global law firm. It allows us to offer exceptional service to our clients and create an extraordinary place for our people to work,” she said.

“We also offer our people a range of unique career opportunities as the firm has innovated and broadened our offering to the market. We are committed to investing in the personal growth of our colleagues and supporting each other to be at our best.”