Large London law firms are 'out of step with the modern world - shown by women accounting for just 20% of places in equity partnerships at the Top 10 practices, according to Sharbek. Traditional approaches which emphasise the quantity of time put in, rather than quality - billed hours, for example - act as obstacles to many women, says the report. Sharbek calls for law firms to introduce 'flexible working practices in a genuine way'. 

Technology

Sharbek also points to new IT as a way to liberate both sexes - allowing more focus on high quality work by speeding up the more routine work and enabling firms from different countries to compete against each other. Source: Evening Standard