A diverse and inclusive workforce

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.

“We know gender equality is right, fair and obvious. That it also make makes good business sense has been very clear for some time. We will keep gender equality front of mind, and continue to shape our culture so we remain open and authentic in talking about where we're we currently at, what's working and where we can improve. And we’ll continue to ensure that each of us in Clayton Utz appreciates our collective role in pursuing gender equality.”
Bruce Cooper, Chief Executive Partner

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 flexible work policy is intended to support mainstreaming flexibility across the firm to attract and retain the best talent. Flexible work is not simply about part-time work and 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 proud to be a 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 AWEI "Gold Employer" - the only law firm with this track record and to reach "Platinum Qualifier" status. This is a testament to our dedication, drive and vision of an LGBTIQ-inclusive workplace.

We are conscious that some applicants (including members of the trans/gender diverse community) may need additional assistance or information concerning the recruitment process.  We have a leading practice Gender Affirmation Policy and Guidelines and would be happy to take applicants through this where it would be beneficial.  The Guidelines provide information, tools and resources to promote a positive experience for all who may have an involvement with a trans or gender diverse person who decides to affirm their gender.  However, we understand that every journey will be different and therefore the expectations and responsibilities of everyone involved will be different.  We leverage the resources of Pride in Diversity to help us be more inclusive in our process.  Please don't hesitate to contact Alexandra Smith to learn more. 

Momentum

Momentum is our diversity & inclusion network and activity program. 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.

Accessibility and Inclusion

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 an Accessibility & Inclusion Action Plan  (PDF 1.2MB) 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.

If you would like a word version of  the Accessibility & Inclusion Plan, you can download here.  

We are conscious that some applicants may need additional assistance or information concerning the recruitment process. Please don't hesitate to contact Alexandra Smith to learn more.