Ethnicity pay and bonus gaps improve too
Linklaters is the first of the magic circle firms to publish its latest gender pay gap figures — a mean result of 61.9% and a median of 33.6%, inclusive of partners.
These figures represent a narrowing compared to last year’s results of 62.9% (mean) and 39.5% (median).
Taking its high-earning partners out of the equation, the mean and median gaps drop to 18.8% and 34.5%, respectively. The 2021 bonus gap, again excluding partners, is 50.3% (mean) and 51.7% (median).
Looking at just UK partners, the mean gap widened to 13.1% from 10.4% in 2020, while the median gap narrowed to 20.5% from 23.7% in 2020.
“We are moving in the right direction but we’re not yet where we want or need to be,” senior partner Aedamar Comiskey said. “I want Linklaters to stand out as the law firm with the best minds in the business from truly diverse backgrounds, contributing different perspectives to solve the complex challenges our clients are facing on a global scale. Being an inclusive and diverse firm is at the heart of that.”
Linklaters aims for at least 40% for its new partner elections to be women each year. This target was increased in 2021 from 30%.
The firm also published its ethnicity pay gap figures, revealing a partner inclusive UK mean of 36.5%. The median is -0.1%. Last year’s results were 34.6% (mean) and 4.9% (median).
Taking partners out of the equation, Linklaters’ mean and median ethnicity pay gaps come out at 6.4% and -22.4%, respectively. The bonus ethnicity pay gap, again excluding partners, is 22.9% (mean) and -11.5% (median).
“Our ethnicity pay and bonus gaps have improved on both the mean and, significantly, the median basis across the firm — with Black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals progressing through the firm and occupying more senior roles,” the report says. “However, whilst the figures have improved, we still have a serious under-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals in the most senior levels of our firm. This is not good enough and we must do better.”
Just under a quarter (24%) of Linklaters’ UK staff is Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME), based on an 84% disclosure rate.
