- No gender pay gap reported between colleagues in the lower two pay quartiles
- Less than 1% gap reported in the top two pay quartiles
The national law firm, Stephensons, has reported a 23.07% mean gender pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at 4th April 2024.
The firm has reported its gender pay gap in line with the government’s gender pay gap reporting regulations.
These regulations require organisations with 250 or more employees to publish the difference between both the mean and median hourly rate of pay for male and female full-time employees; the difference between both the mean bonus pay and median bonus pay for male and female employees; the proportions of male and female employees who were awarded bonus pay; and the proportions of male and female full-time employees in the lower, lower middle, upper middle and upper quartile pay bands.
Stephensons median pay gap for fixed hourly pay as at 4th April 2024 was 34.59%.
In our highest pay quartile, 50% are female, compared to 94% in the second quartile, 72% in the third quartile and 71% in the lowest pay quartile.
Of its partner population, 54% are female, 71% of those in solicitor roles are female and 75% are female in paralegal and graduate paralegal roles.
Notably, when analysing the gender pay gap by pay quartiles, Stephensons reported a significantly lower-than-average pay difference between employees of a similar level. In fact, there is no gender pay gap in the lower two quartiles and less than 1% in the upper two quartiles. The average gap in the legal profession is 9.3%.
In addressing its gender pay gap, Stephensons is committed to engaging and developing its employees and encouraging greater diversity and inclusion through a range of initiatives. This has already included the roll out of agile working across the firm and the promotion of flexible working opportunities for all employees. The firm also consistently reviews its recruitment policies and practices to ensure that it can source talented team members from a wider background. The firm’s approach to flexible, agile, and remote working has also significantly benefited its ability to attract and retain female members of staff.
David Baybut, Chairman at Stephensons, said: “Looking at the picture as a whole, I am very encouraged that women are strongly represented at all levels.
“As a firm, we remain committed to improving our gender pay gap figures as much as we can. Over the past three years, the gap has consistently fallen and continues to decrease. In fact, I am delighted that we have no pay gap reported at salaried partner, solicitor or paralegal levels.
We recognise there is more still to do. The fact that the overwhelming majority of our team in the lowest pay quartile are female inevitably has an impact on these figures and we will continue to make positive steps forward to achieving a better balance in this area.”
