Women lawyers call for new career paths By Victoria MacCallumTop law firms need to overhaul their working practices and change their long-hours culture or face losing their female workforce, new research has suggested.The survey of more than 100 partners, assistants and HR managers at the top 40 firms, carried out by recruitment consultants EJ Legal, showed that 40% of female assistants would reject the offer of partnership, citing stress and long hours as the reasons.

Only 17% of male assistants did not want to be partners.

Even when they get there, women partners were found to be less satisfied than male partners.

Both male and female assistants questioned the status quo, with almost half the respondents describing the traditional career path as inappropriate and in need of reform.Some 86% of women partners said they were unhappy with the career paths available and there was strong support for alternative structures.

Flexible arrangements, or formalising flexible working, were the most popular alternatives being considered by HR managers (33%).

But 19% were not considering any alternatives.More than half the partners (65%) worked on average more than 60 hours a week.

Most assistants (51%) worked between 50 and 60 hours a week.

Anthea Grainger, chairwoman of the Association of Women Solicitors, said she was 'not surprised'.

She said: 'The results reflect what we have been finding out for the past few years.' Around ten years ago there were a number of women pushing for partnership, but in the last three or four years, there is a real sense of disillusionment.' The dissatisfaction with career paths 'will make firms realise they have to adjust their practices if they want to keep their workforces', she said.

'Many firms have already realised they need to accommodate four-day weeks, or shorter days if women have family commitments.'Ms Grainger stressed that the findings should be seen in the wider context of younger people's aspirations.

'They often want to go travelling, or have a greater flexibility in their career, which means that partnership with all its responsibilities will naturally be less appealing.'