Webinar Recap: Raising the Bar – Closing Representation Gaps in Law Firms
“We’re not saying everyone must reach 50% at the same time… We’re saying: understand your local benchmark and reduce the gap from where you are.”
– Yusouf Kaj, DEI Manager, Clyde & Co
Why This Conversation Mattered
Law firms across the UK and globally are under increasing pressure to close longstanding representation gaps—especially beyond gender. But what happens when traditional targets don’t reflect regional contexts or realistic starting points?
In this Clusivity webinar, Raising the Bar: Closing Representation Gaps in Law Firms, Meera Somji sat down with Yusouf Kaj, DEI Manager at Clyde & Co, to explore how one global law firm is shifting from blanket DEI targets to a data-driven, locally tailored model—one that prioritises progress over perfection, and reflection over replication.
Why Clyde & Co Moved Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Targets
Many global organisations adopt broad DEI targets like “50% women in leadership by 2030.” But for Clyde & Co, a firm with offices in more than 60 cities across the world, applying the same metric everywhere didn’t make sense.
“We started our DEI work focusing on gender… but as we’ve become more global, the question is, how do you replicate a model that was designed for the UK… in 60 different cities?”
– Yusouf Kaj
As the firm’s reach grew, so did the need for flexibility, local context, and a recognition of unique starting points.
“We needed a model that allowed us to tailor our approach locally… and not just replicate something that was built in the UK for the rest of the world.”
– Yusouf Kaj
What Is the Gap to Parity Model?
Rather than working toward a universal percentage goal, Clyde & Co introduced a “Gap to Parity” framework. The concept is simple: look at where your firm is now, compare that to the relevant local benchmark, and work to reduce that gap.
“We take a local benchmark… understand what parity looks like for that office, and then set goals to reduce the gap.”
– Yusouf Kaj
“We’re not saying you need to get to 50%. We’re saying: what’s your local benchmark? What’s the gap? And how do we reduce it?”
– Yusouf Kaj
In the UK, for example, the benchmark might come from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). But in other countries, that data may not exist.
“There’s no kind of Australian authority that publishes legal profession data… We work with our local teams to figure out what good looks like in that context.”
– Yusouf Kaj
From Insight to Action: Programmes that Reflect the Data
Once the firm had a clear picture of the gaps, the next step was action. Clyde & Co launched initiatives designed specifically to widen access into the legal profession for underrepresented groups.
One of those is the LIFT (Legal Insight for Future Talent) programme, which opens doors to candidates who may not have the connections, education, or exposure to see law as a viable path.
“It’s a one-week programme for candidates who wouldn’t usually access law… people from different backgrounds, different universities… people who’ve never met a lawyer.”
– Yusouf Kaj
It’s an example of how data-informed strategy can lead to targeted, meaningful interventions—not just broad statements of intent.
Why Self-ID Data is the Foundation
None of this work is possible without data. And not just headcount data—self-identification data that reveals how people experience their workplace based on race, disability, social mobility, caring responsibilities, and more.
“We’re aiming for 80% self-ID rates across the board… We want to set meaningful targets for ethnicity, social mobility, disability, carers… but we can’t do that if we don’t have the data.”
– Yusouf Kaj
To build trust around the process, the firm took steps to explain what’s being asked and why.
“We’re not just asking questions… we’re explaining why we’re asking them. We’ve added definitions, embedded privacy statements… we’re making the process part of the culture.”
– Yusouf Kaj
Bringing Everyone On Board: Leadership and Beyond
For representation goals to stick, buy-in has to go beyond the boardroom. Clyde & Co’s senior leadership were quickly aligned, but it was the mid-level leaders—department heads, office leads, HR managers—who became critical to bringing the strategy to life.
“Our board didn’t need a lot of convincing… They understood this is what our people want, and this is what our clients expect.”
– Yusouf Kaj
“That layer under leadership—department heads, office leads, local HR teams—that’s where the magic happens. That’s where the work is either championed or blocked.”
– Yusouf Kaj
To secure that support, Yusouf went office to office, presenting the model directly.
“I went to every UK office and all our European ones… I delivered the presentation, took their questions… It was exhausting, but it worked.”
– Yusouf Kaj
Looking Ahead: Carers, Social Mobility, and Expanding the Scope
With gender and ethnicity strategies in motion, Clyde & Co is now expanding their focus to include social mobility and carers. These are areas often underrepresented in traditional DEI metrics but deeply tied to equity and retention.
“We’re now looking at setting targets around carers… We’ve got our Carer Confident accreditation and we want to keep building on that.”
– Yusouf Kaj
“Everybody has carers in their workforce… The numbers are only going up… and we want to support them properly.”
– Yusouf Kaj
“We’ve started reporting against the Social Mobility Foundation benchmarks… and we’re starting to build that into our data collection and strategy.”
– Yusouf Kaj
Final Thoughts: Representation Isn’t One Goal—it’s a Process
The Gap to Parity model offers a practical alternative to quota-based thinking. It helps firms avoid the trap of overpromising and underdelivering, and instead focus on reducing disparities over time—realistically, locally, and measurably.
“You can’t say every office needs to hit 50% by 2025… That’s not helpful. But you can say: where are you now? And how can we reduce the gap?”
– Yusouf Kaj
“These aren’t quotas. They’re outcomes. They’re results of strategy. They’re signs that we’re moving in the right direction.”
– Yusouf Kaj
Key Takeaways for Legal and DEI Leaders
- Replace universal targets with locally informed goals
- Build DEI action plans based on self-ID data
- Align programmes like LIFT with your representation strategy
- Drive change by engaging middle leadership
- Expand representation efforts to include carers and social mobility
🎧 Watch The Full Webinar Below
