Herbert Smith Freehills announced earlier this week that it will be launching the OnRamp Fellowship program across its offices in Australia and the United Kingdom. The program identifies experienced female lawyers on extended career breaks who are looking to return to private practice and then matches them law firms for a one-year fellowship which provides tailored support and on-the-job training to women as they resume their careers. The launch follows a four-firm pilot of the OnRamp program in the United States that included international player Hogan Lovells, which has since indicated that it plans to expand the program to its offices in the United Kingdom.

Tapping into talent

HSF regional managing partner for Asia and Australia Sue Gilchrist believes that the OnRamp program perfectly aligns with the firm’s dual aims of identifying and recruiting high-quality talent while also promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. ‘We know that diverse perspectives significantly boost our creativity, problem-solving skills and our ability to innovate, which results in a more rewarding workplace for our people and a better service for our clients,’ she said in a statement.

Eligibility and outcomes

No salary information is yet available for the one-year fellowship program at HSF, and the firm’s head of diversity and inclusion David Shields has emphasised that there is ‘no absolute guarantee’ of permanent positions at the firm for those who have completed the program. The fellowship is open to women lawyers with at least three years’ experience who have taken an extended break from the profession of up to 20 years.

Sources: HSF; Law Society Gazette