Linklaters introduced billable credits for DE&I efforts

• Aparna Sreevalsan
• 6 October, 2022

LINKLATERS LLP will reward its lawyers with bigger bonuses for helping the Magic Circle law firm to become more diverse and inclusive.

The firm has introduced billable credit and recognition for the efforts done by its lawyers to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) under a new global policy on Tuesday (4).

The company-wide policy, which will be in effect as of 1^st November, intends to recognise the contributions made by its lawyers in all three areas and the beneficial effects they have on the business and the local community.

The firm’s US offices already have the policy in place.

Paul Lewis, firmwide managing partner, Linklaters commented: “We have already seen the success of our policy in the US and are pleased to be able to introduce it at a firmwide level — rewarding and recognising those dedicating time and energy to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and encouraging further meaningful engagement with our global DE&I commitments.”

Aedamar Comiskey, senior partner and chair at Linklaters, added: “Being a diverse, equitable and inclusive firm is integral to our strategy and remains at the heart of our culture and values.

“This policy recognises the efforts of individuals across our Linklaters network who help to cultivate our inclusive culture and, in doing so, help to attract the best people and the best clients.”

Depending on the office location, up to 100 hours of DE&I efforts may be charged as time or counted for determining total performing bonuses.

Last month the Law Society released a “diversity and inclusion” framework to assist companies in integrating D&I in a way that has an ongoing impact. This framework includes bringing up D&I work during performance and appraisal talks.

A similar approach, which counts time spent on D&I efforts against its lawyers’ billing objectives, was implemented by Hogan Lovells* in 2021.

 

 

*An American-British law firm co-headquartered in London and Washington, DC. The firm was formed in 2010 by the merger of the American law firm Hogan & Hartson and the British law firm Lovells.