DiversCity in Law is a unique event which deals with a delicate issue in a completely professional, positive and inspiring way. A lot of people from the LGBT+ community still hold the feeling they are likely to face (un)conscious bias when working in the City, particularly in the legal sector. The annual DiversCity initiative… Read More My DiversCity Experience by Aleksandar Genov, Future Trainee – Baker McKenzie
Before joining Herbert Smith Freehills LLP (HSF) in London I trained at a law firm in Newcastle. While the firm was very open minded, at that stage in my life, I just wasn’t ready to be totally open about my sexuality in the workplace. I was ‘out’ to close friends (and family) but the prospect… Read More My journey by Tom Henderson, Senior Associate in Disputes at Herbert Smith Freehills
International law firm Taylor Wessing has been named as one of the UK’s best employers for LGBTQ+ in Stonewall’s annual Top 100 Employers index. Taylor Wessing placed 51 in this year’s equality index, rising significantly in the rankings in comparison to previous years and making the Top 100 Employers list for the first time. The… Read More Taylor Wessing named to Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2018
I attended DiversCity, my first ever experience of a corporate LGBT event, on 10 July 2012. I heard Daisy Reeves, partner at Berwin Leighton Paisner, speak about being herself throughout the partnership track and Stonewall discuss what it meant to be your authentic self at work. Many of the panellists mentioned positive results and experiences… Read More Rhiannon Paine from Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, shares her experiences of being an LGBT lawyer
What I did know was that I wasn’t happy at my previous law firm. I didn’t have any visible role models and I spent a lot of time, and energy, hiding who I was to all but a close group of colleagues. I did my research before joining Hogan Lovells in 2012 and even asked… Read More Be yourself, be authentic by Sian Owles, Partner at Hogan Lovells
The most daunting thing I’ve ever done is come out. I was at a single sex school where the only insult other than “gay” was a reference to “your mum”. Homosexuality was the butt of every joke and there wasn’t a single gay role model to challenge that. The prospect of openly admitting to people… Read More “Being openly LGBT* should not be imposed upon anyone, but it should always be an option that is available.”
Born and bred in Germany, I went on to live and study in the Netherlands, France and Ireland before moving to the UK. Feeling a bit lost during my school years and trying to test the waters a little by pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, I felt that moving between different countries and… Read More My Pride Story by Vera Vollmann, Trainee Solicitor at Slaughter and May
As part of Slaughter and May’s international strategy, the firm maintains a very close relationship with a range of law firms across Europe and further afield, the “best friend” firms. In 2017 I took up the chance to spend six months in Madrid with our Spanish best friend firm, Uria Menendez. Being a big fan… Read More What’s it like being on secondment? Mark Spiller, Trainee Solicitor at Slaughter & May
Daisy Reeves, a partner at BLP, speaks of her experience as an LGBT+ laywer, and offers insight and advice for others: https://www.thelawyer.com/my-pride-story-i-went-back-into-the-closet-when-i-began-in-law-but-im-out-now-and-proud/
