Legal sector claims best year ever in Stonewall Top 100

Twelve legal firms were listed in equality charity Stonewall’s annual top 100 gay-friendly employers list, including four new entries, marking the best ever year for the legal sector. The total of 12 firms is up from 10 in 2014 and 2015.

Clifford Chance were the highest new entry in the top 100, jumping straight into the top 10. Again, Pinsent Masons were ranked as the highest law firm, coming fifth in the survey, a jump of four from last year’s showing of ninth.

On top of the firms named, Simmons & Simmons were once again ranked as a Stonewall Star Performer – having ‘graduated’ from the rankings after consistently featuring, the firm is now in a position where they are to act as a role model and mentor to other firms trying to echo their success.

The new entries also included DWF, who were ranked 56th; Reed Smith, who were 72nd; and Dentons, who creeped in at 97th. Baker & McKenzie ranked highly at 11th, as did Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer at 17th, and many firms upheld their consistent record as high performers.

Norton Rose (22nd), Herbert Smith Freehills (25th), Hogan Lovells (57th), CMS Cameron McKenna (80th) and Eversheds (86th) completed the lineup from the industry.

Furthermore, Baker & McKenzie’s diversion and inclusion manager Justine Thompson was named as the Ally of the Year, after the firm was said to have “taken an active stance” on LGBT equality and inclusion. 

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