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In-house counsel on board to promote gender equality
The Association of Corporate Counsel has adopted the Law Council of Australia’s National Model Gender Equitable Briefing Policy.
Tom Lodewyke
The ACC announced its adoption of the policy earlier this year, joining the numerous law firms, bar associations and law societies that have signed up to the policy since its introduction in June last year.
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The policy was originally intended to encourage law firms to brief more female barristers. Signatories aim to brief women in 30 per cent of all matters, and pay women 30 per cent of the value of all brief fees by 2020.
The ACC has now extended the policy to the in-house sector, urging corporate counsel to set gender diversity requirements for the law firms and barristers they brief.
“The policy aims to achieve a nationally consistent approach towards bringing about cultural and attitudinal change within the legal profession with respect to gender briefing practices,” the ACC said in a statement.
“For the in-house profession, the policy seeks to encourage in-house counsel to require their law firm partners to also adopt the policy and request for more female barristers to be recommended on matters where possible.”
LCA president Fiona McLeod SC applauded the announcement, tweeting “Thanks @ACCAustralia – this will make a huge difference #equitablebriefing”.
