Over three quarters of partner promotions at Ashurst have gone to women this year, as the City firms strives for a 33% female partnership by 2022. 

Fourteen lawyers have been elected this month, 11 of whom are women. The cohort is the smallest in five years, with over 20 partners elected in 2018 and 2019. Five of the appointtees are based in the UK, four in Australia, two in Hong Kong and Singapore and one in Spain.

Global managing partner Paul Jenkins said: ‘I am particularly pleased that more than three quarters of those promoted are women. In addition to this, we are celebrating a group of new leaders with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, lived experiences and perspectives who will contribute to growing the depth and richness of our firm. We are seeing significant growth opportunities and client demand in our priority practice areas and industry sectors, with which our new partners are aligned.’

Chairman Ben Tidswell added: ‘Providing extraordinary career opportunities is important to our people, our clients, and to the success of our firm. Our new partners are an outstanding group of talented lawyers with the skills and expertise that will see them play a critical role in the future of both Ashurst, our clients and the legal market.’

According to Ashurst’s gender targets, 33% of the global partnership should be female by the end of the 2022 financial year. Meanwhile, 30% of leadership roles to be held by women and 50% of senior business services roles to be held by women.