Shearman & Sterling has ranked among the top law firm in the U.K. for LGBTQ+ representation, according to research by Law.com International. The firm took the top spot in the partner table, with 10% of its U.K. partnership identifying as LGBTQ+. In addition, Shearman & Sterling ranked #5 among the top 25 law firms by percentage of LGBTQ+ associates across their U.K. offices.

As one of the firms with the highest proportion of LGBTQ+ representation in their U.K. partner and associate ranks, the firm was recognised by Law.com International as one of the leaders in the area of diversity.

Mariyam Hassan, Director of HR, Inclusion & Wellbeing at Shearman & Sterling, said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. At Shearman & Sterling, diversity and inclusion (D&I) are part of our fabric, interwoven in who we are and all we do. LGBT+ inclusion is a fundamental part of our broader inclusion strategy and as a Firm, it is important to us that all of our colleagues feel that they can bring their whole and authentic selves to work every day to enable them to perform at their best. These results are down to the work and initiatives that our LGBT+ network, ‘Sterling Pride’ and our excellent D&I team have implemented together with the support from senior leaders and allies.

While the industry has come a long way, we recognise that there is still more that we can do collectively to ensure that the profession is inclusive and accessible for all underrepresented groups in the LGBT+ community. One of the main challenges that remains for many firms is a lack of representation, and therefore role models, at the senior level. To help to tackle this, we should explore new ways to collaborate and amplify the voices of senior LGBT+ people from across the industry. Furthermore, we know that the LGBT+ inclusion landscape continues to evolve and it is therefore important to not get complacent regarding our commitment to LGBT+ inclusion. We should continue to strive to stay current for future generations, hold each other to account and evolve our practices to ensure that all diverse talent can thrive and succeed in law.”