Women leaders gain ground at half of BigLaw firms

Other than one firm that did not provide data to WGEA in 2023-24, the top 10 firms with the best gender pay gap increased the number of women within senior leadership roles, including Lavan, Pinsent Masons, Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), and Knowmore.

Zoe Leonard, CEO of Turks – which published a 4.6 per cent average total remuneration gender pay gap – said the firm has been deliberately focused on supporting their women employees through each stage of their career, “ensuring they have access to the opportunities, flexibility and guidance needed to thrive”.

Managing director of LOD, Paul Cowling, said they were delighted to see “continued year-on-year improvement”, including the drop from a 3.8 per cent gender pay gap in 2023-24 to 1.2 per cent in 2024-25.

“Our improved results reflect our long-standing commitment to an inclusive workplace where gender equality is embedded in how we operate, and to demonstrate that sustainable, equitable careers are sustainable in ‘NewLaw’,” Cowling added.

At Arnold Bloch Leibler, where the gender pay gap was 4.8 per cent, director of human resources Shaneen Argail said they have been deliberate in “supporting our female lawyers with inclusive policies and practices that enable long-term career stability”.

A majority of the firms also increased the overall number of women employed at the firm, while about 29 per cent had no change.

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Macpherson Kelley, Fragomen Australia, Cornwalls and Spruson & Ferguson had some of the biggest gender pay gaps, but increased the number of women in leadership and at the firms overall.

Macpherson Kelley said it was committed to seeing 50 per cent of its principal lawyer positions held by women and have strived for a gender balance within the lowest quartile of the business.

Cornwalls’ chief people and operating officer Sofie Filippone said the firm was focused on accelerating change in its senior ranks, having implemented “targeted initiatives” to strengthen progression.

“We are committed to measurable progress and ongoing transparency as we work to improve representation at senior levels.”

While the data does mean almost half the firms had less women in its senior roles than 2023-24, WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said it was important to note that some companies were doing the work “but will have to go backwards before they go forwards”.

“Going backwards is not necessarily a problem if it’s part of a bigger plan,” Wooldridge told media.

For example, Davies Collinson Cave went from having its workforce made up of 73 per cent of women down to 72 per cent, but relies predominantly on hiring from the male-dominated STEM field.

The firm said it is prioritising evidence-based initiatives to increase representation of women in senior and high-paid roles.

“This includes sponsorship and leadership programs for emerging women leaders, trainee pathways to principal positions, part-time leadership opportunities, as well as generous paid parental leave and flexible working arrangements,” group director Michael Wolnizer said.

Below is the data for women employees at Australia’s biggest firms:

Also see: Gender pay gap persists as top firms slide backwards