Regional law firm Royds Withy King, which has an office in Swindon, has exceeded its aim of having women make up 40% of its partnership by 2025 following its latest round of promotions.
Two years ago the firm set a target of achieving a partnership with a ratio of 60%-40% men to women within six years.
With two of its three new partners are women, meaning the firm’s proportion of female partners is now 40% out of a total of 73.
Bath-headquartered Royds Withy King, which is ranked by The Lawyer magazine as second among UK Top 100 law firms for gender diversity, employs around 520 people across its offices in Bath, Swindon, Oxford and London.
The new partners Rachel James, Ali Cloak and Ian McEwan are among 22 promotions at the firm, including Emma Palmer, who is now director of risk and best practice, along with a number of associates and senior associate across different practice areas.
Rachel, pictured above, from the personal injury team, has been a specialist in representing those suffering from asbestos-linked diseases and their families since 2010. She is an Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) senior litigator and an accredited occupational and asbestos disease specialist.
Clinical negligence team member Ali Cloak, pictured left, has expertise in a wide range of medical negligence claims but has a particular interest in the areas of inquests and coronial law, birth injuries, maternal injuries, psychiatric injury and orthopaedic injuries.
Ian McEwan, pictured below, is based in the firm’s property disputes team and helps landlords, tenants, property owners and developers to resolve their property-related disputes.
Royds Withy King managing partner Graham Street said: “I’d like to congratulate our new partners, senior associates and associates, as well as Emma of course. I’m very pleased that we’re able to recognise our people’s hard work and dedication in this way.
“Two years ago, our firm set itself a target of achieving 40% women equity partners by 2025. I’m pleased to say we have already exceeded this goal.
“After a challenging 12 months, we have an exciting new financial year in front of us as we move to the next stage of our growth and development as a sustainable Top 100 firm. Congratulations to everyone again.”
