Three law firms received government recognition this week for their work in reducing the gender pay gap.


East Anglian firm Buckles and corporate giants Clifford Chance and Addleshaw Goddard were among 107 organisations to be awarded exemplar employer status by the Minister for Women, Ruth Kelly.



The status - created in response to a report from the Women and Work Commission - recognises concrete measures taken by employers to help women fulfil their potential in the workplace, ranging from job share registers through to projects for retaining senior management.



Buckles' human resources director, Christine Walker, said the firm is committed to exploring flexible working options that would make it more practical for women to combine careers with motherhood. Managers and others routinely worked from home, she said, and were able to vary their hours to reflect changing family demands.



Ms Walker added that the firm's experience was that what benefited the individual normally benefited the business as well. 'The knowledge, experience and approach each person brings can never truly be replicated. By offering flexibility, we support staff, which in turn supports retention, which in turn supports the success of the business.'



The Law Society's 2005 annual statistic review revealed that, on average, male trainees are offered starting salaries some 7.4% above the average level for females.



Jonathan Rayner