Gender Pay Gap

Updated 2023

COMMITTED TO GENDER EQUALITY

We took the decision to be open about our Gender Pay Gap figures before we were legally required to report on these statistics. We have been tracking them for the last four years and have produced them for both our staff and our partnership.

The overall gender split of the firm remains biased towards women at 62% female and 38% male. We still have significantly more women employees (67%) in upper middle positions than men (33%). At the upper level, the split has changed from 45% men and 55% women in 2019 to 49% men and 51% women in 2022. It has then changed again to 55% men and 46% women in 2023.

We currently have 52 partners in total, including our consulting partners. 72% of our partners are men and 27% are women. In our lower quartile our partnership is 54% men and 46% women, reflecting the balanced male/female appointments we have made in recent years. We have made strong improvements which reflect our commitment to having a diverse partnership. 

We are not evenly split in our upper quartiles. This mainly reflects the fact that most upper quartile partners have been at the firm for over 20 years and at the time they joined the firm, there were far fewer women studying STEM qualifications and entering the patent profession.

Evolving the make-up of our senior partnership will therefore take time, as the partners in our balanced lower quartiles gain seniority. It is important to note that our partnership continually expands, rather than specific spaces being allocated or a 'one in one out' system being in place; this also affects the rate gender balance can change. 

GENDER PAY GAP STATISTICS - EMPLOYEES & PARTNERS

Employee Statistics

  • Hourly median pay gap for 2023 was 22.4% 
  • Median bonus gap 27.8% 
  • We continue to have significantly more women in upper middle positions than men. 
  • At the upper level we have more men than women


  Lower Middle Upper Middle Upper
2023 - Male 24% 23% 33% 55%
2023 - Female 76% 77% 67% 46%
         
2022 - Male 27% 26% 37% 49%
2022 - Female 73% 74% 63% 51%
         
2021 - Male 21% 31% 40% 49%
2021 - Female 79% 69% 60% 51%
         
2020 - Male 29% 21% 40% 45%
2020 - Female 71% 79% 60% 55%
         
2019 - Male 29% 24% 34% 52%
2019 - Female 71% 76% 66% 48%

 

Partner Statistics

  • We have 52 partners in total including our consulting partners – an increase of three from 2021/22
  • 73% of our partners are male and 27% are female
  • Changing the make-up of our partnership will take time – upper quartile partners have been here for 25-30 years
  • Our partnership continually expands, rather than specific spaces being allocated
  • Reflecting our recent partner appointments we have made strong improvements in the lower and middle partnership quartiles where the split is more even
  • This shift illustrates our commitment to having a diverse partnership

 

  Lower Middle Upper Middle Upper
2023 - Male 54% 69% 77% 92%
2023 - Female 46% 31% 23% 8%
         
2022 - Male 54% 58% 83% 92%
2022 - Female 46% 42% 17% 8%
         
2021 - Male 67% 50% 82% 92%
2021 - Female 33% 50% 18% 8%
         
2020 - Male 58% 58% 83% 91%
2020 - Female 42% 42% 17% 9%
         
2019 - Male 55% 58% 83% 91%
2019 - Female 45% 42% 17% 9%

 

Statistics as at 5th April 2023 snapshot data for Gender Pay Gap Reporting 2023.

We recognise that gender identity is broader than just ‘men and women’ and are proud to support our people of all gender identities. However, statutory requirements for gender pay gap reporting are that the data are reported in a binary way as only male and female. The data we show here therefore conforms to those statutory requirements and is based on the legally-defined gender of our people, a definition that does not at present differentiate pay data for people with a gender identity other than man or woman. 

DECLARATION

I confirm that the gender pay gap information published in this written statement and submitted to the Gender pay gap service is accurate and has been calculated according to the requirements and methodology set out in the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.

 

Robert Andrews (colour)

 

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Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Robert Andrews 

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