We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive culture in which all of our people are recognised for their unique contributions and are encouraged and supported to achieve their full potential.
The firm is a member of leading diversity and inclusion focused organisations (such as the Diversity Council of Australia, Pride in Diversity, the Australian Network on Disability and Parents At Work) to help ensure we stay informed of the latest developments in creating diverse and inclusive workplaces.
View our report to see the progress we've been making with our Diversity and Inclusion strategy in FY22. (PDF 849.2KB)
If you would like a word version of our report you can download here. (PDF 1MB)
Our Diversity Council
The Clayton Utz Diversity Council sets and oversees the firm's diversity and inclusion strategy and priorities. Our Chief Executive Partner leads the Diversity Council which is also supported by our Senior Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, Riet O'Brien.
Gender equality
A key focus of our diversity initiatives is to make Clayton Utz an environment in which all genders have every opportunity to succeed.
In recognition of our continued commitment to gender equality, Clayton Utz was named on the 2021-23 Workplace Gender Equality Agency's list of Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation-holders. This is the thirteenth year it has been held by the firm and we were among 120 organisations to be awarded the citation. It recognises market-leading employers who have shown an active commitment in achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.
It is important to us to be engaged with our industry on gender equality. We have adopted the Law Council of Australia’s Equitable Briefing Policy. We are a signatory to the NSW Law Society's Charter for the Advancement of Women. We also are a member of Advocates for Change (a group of Victorian legal professionals from public and private organisations, community legal centres and the Law Institute of Victoria) focused on eliminating sexual harassment in the legal profession.
Cultural diversity
We want Clayton Utz to be a culturally sophisticated firm that maximises domestic and regional business benefits through outstanding cultural intelligence. We're talking with thought leaders around cultural diversity, gathering and reporting data on cultural diversity and focusing on professional development for cultural diversity and inclusive leadership. We are proud to be an active member or sponsor of important organisations such as the Asian Leadership Project, the Asian Australian Lawyers Association, Diverse Women in Law and the Asia Society.
In March 2017 we committed to the Managing Partners (of large law firms) Cultural Diversity Charter.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an absolute priority for diversity and inclusion at Clayton Utz and a significant proportion of our workforce work under formal and informal flexible arrangements. Our principles-based flexible work policy is intended to support mainstreaming flexibility across the firm to attract and retain the best talent. It is vital for our employees to be able to balance their unique and changing needs during different life and career stages.
LGBTIQ inclusion
Clayton Utz is a member of Pride in Diversity (the Australian employer support program). Integral to our diversity and inclusion strategy is our LGBTIQ program which focuses on such things as fostering an LGBTIQ-inclusive culture within the firm, connecting with the broader LGBTIQ community, implementing best practice policies, training and education. Our efforts have made a huge impact on the firm and our people. We are incredibly proud to be an AWEI "Platinum Employer" - the only law firm with this status. This is a testament to our dedication, drive and vision of an LGBTIQ-inclusive workplace.
In 2021 Clayton Utz was pleased to have partnered with KPMG and InterFirm Brisbane to explore the importance of allyship and the role allies can and do play in building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We hope this paper sparks conversations and is useful in sharing practical ideas for how organisations can encourage active allyship among their people.
Download the paper here.
Momentum
Momentum is the name of our diversity & inclusion network and activity program. Over the years it has evolved from being focused on gender to embracing all diversity streams, celebrating both difference and commonality. It's about nurturing an inclusive environment for our people that will maximise their opportunities for business success and career satisfaction.
Disability is a key area of focus for Clayton Utz. The term "disability" is a broad one and includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological, physical disfigurement, immunological and learning disabilities. We recognise that over 4 million people in Australia have some form of disability - namely 1 in 5 people. We want to create an environment and culture at Clayton Utz that enables our people with all types of disability, and those who care for someone with a disability, to succeed. We also want to improve accessibility and inclusion for our clients.
We are proud to have registered our second Accessibility & Inclusion Action Plan (link above) with the Australian Human Rights Commission. We are a Silver member of the Australian Network on Disability (AND). Our Accessibility & Inclusion Action Plan focuses on seven priority areas and includes a focus on inclusion through recruitment of people with a disability, creating premises that are inclusive, and accessible technology.
If you would like a word version of the Accessibility & Inclusion Plan, you can download here.
You can email us at Clayton Utz Diversity and Inclusion with any queries you may have.
