In 2004, we established the Women at Freehills initiative in recognition of the challenges that women can face in their careers. Women at Freehills specifically focuses on understanding and removing barriers that may work against our talented women, and helping women to be successful in their chosen career paths. This involves challenging mindsets and assumptions about gender as well as building the capabilities of our women to ensure their success.

A key plank of our strategic plan, Women at Freehills is directed towards:

• increasing the number of women in leadership roles, and
• retaining our high potential women by ensuring their success in roles that are both engaging and fulfilling.

Sponsored by the firm’s CEO Gavin Bell, and under the stewardship of a steering committee consisting of senior leaders across the firm and organisational development experts, Women at Freehills has four key components, which underpin our strategies, policies and programs:

• Leadership: increasing the number of women in both internal and external senior leadership roles, as well as developing and showcasing exceptional women role models
• Freehills Future: increasing the number of women in the partnership pipeline and in the partnership itself
• Working with our Clients: partnering with our clients on gender diversity initiatives
• Innovative Work Practices: creating and maintaining a supportive work environment

Some of the achievements and activities under our Women at Freehills initiative include:

• partner development programs to develop partners’ coaching capabilities and improve conversations about careers
• coaching and tailored development programs for women
• development of alternative career paths including the role of Executive Counsel and Special Counsel to better meet the needs of some of our talented women and men
• secondments to other areas of the firm (including non-legal areas) to broaden experience
• women’s liaison groups in each office providing leadership opportunities for women including involvement in business development
• a supportive work environment including private parenting rooms, first class technology and 24-hour support
• fully subsidised in-home emergency childcare
• a ‘corporate mum’ support and networking program
• a generous parental leave policy and regular policy reviews
• a comprehensive flexible work toolkit including profiles on our intranet site of people working in innovative and flexible ways,
• regular analysis of metrics for any gender trends and setting of women partner targets, and
• male partner champions in each of the practice groups to be spokespeople and ‘champions’ for Women at Freehills.

Our strong commitment to achieving success in this important area is being recognised with recent awards including:

• EOWA (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency) Employer of Choice for Women citation since 2007
• short-listed as the only law firm finalists in two categories of the EOWA Awards. These Awards attract high profile nominations from all around Australia, and it is a significant achievement to reach the final five or six short-listed organisations. The categories in which we reached the final stage in 2010 are Leading Organisation for the Advancement of Women (>800 employees) and Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women.
• New South Wales Law Society Special Award for Flexibility in the Workplace, 2006
• ALB Magazine Employer of Choice
• New South Wales Women Lawyers' Achievement Award (Stephanie Pursley), and
• finalist in the ACCI’s Work and Family Awards 2007.

Freehills has received formal recognition as an Employer of Choice for Women from the Australian Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA), in acknowledgment of the firm’s commitment to supporting and enhancing the career experiences of women within the organisation.

According to EOWA, the Employer of Choice for Women acknowledgment: '…recognises organisations who address the barriers women face in the workforce and who demonstrate they have policies and practices that support women across the organisation and that these have had a positive outcome for both women and the business.'

EOWA has highlighted Freehills’ exemplary approach towards enhancing the career experience of women in their workplace and the firm’s ongoing commitment to assisting women in maximising their potential.

The recognition as an Employer of Choice for Women also acknowledges the firm’s commitment to attracting, retaining and developing the very best people. The many achievements and continual improvements the firm makes to support female employees within the Women at Freehills initiative is evidence of Freehills’ ongoing commitment.

Priscilla Bryans: Partner
Kate Cahill: Partner
Louise Capon: Partner
Melanie Cave: Partner
Sarrah Coffey: Partner
Michelle Cole: Partner
Melita Cottrell: Partner
Julie Couch: Partner
Joanne Crew: Partner
Celia Davies: Partner
Emma de Carle: Partner
Frances Drummond: Partner 
Michelle Fox: Partner
Fiona Gardiner-Hill: Partner
Sue Gilchrist: Partner
Georgina Gray: Partner
Natalie Gullifer: Partner
Evelyn Halls: Partner
Erica Hartley: Partner
Kate Jenkins: Partner
Sarah Kenny: Partner
Selina Lightfoot: Partner
Bronwyn Lincoln: Partner
Rebecca Maslen-Stannage: Partner
Lucy McCullagh: Partner
Hayley Neilson: Partner
Leanne Norman: Partner
Fiona Smedley: Partner
Kristin Stammer: Partner
Philippa Stone: Partner
Anna Sutherland: Partner
Lesley Sutton: Partner
Justine Turnbull: Partner
Erin Wakelin: Partner  
Amanda Wales: Partner
Juliana Warner: Partner
Sharon Wilson: Partner
Nicola Yeomans: Partner
Irene Zeitler: Partner
Janet Young: COO
Annette Bain: Executive Director, Freehills Foundation
Nicole Bamforth, Director, Information & Technology
Sarah Sherwood: Director, Information Logistics
Alicia Albury: Executive Counsel
Mary Boittier: Executive Counsel
Melanie Bouton: Executive Counsel
Adele Brady: Consultant
Lisa Butler: Special Advisor
Jinny Chaimungkalanont: Special Counsel
Sophie Chen: Special Counsel
Anne Clarke: Executive Counsel
Marnie Costello: Special Counsel/Operations Manager
Lisa Croxford: Special Counsel
Rebecca Davies: Consultant
Kathleen Farrell: Consultant
Jacqui Frazer: Deputy General Counsel & Company Secretary
Karen Gibbons: Executive Counsel
Joanna Glynn: Executive Counsel
Amy Goble: Executive Counsel
Alix Grice: Special Counsel
Peggy Haines: Consultant
Tracey Hendy: Special Counsel
Michelle Keen: Special Counsel
Danielle Kelly: Diversity Manager
Alison Legge: Consultant
Jau-Shi Liew: Special Counsel
Alice Macdougall: Special Counsel
Helen Macpherson: Executive Counsel
Barbara McDonald: Consultant
Margaret Mertens: Special Counsel
Alexandra Moule: Executive Counsel
Cathy Murphy: Consultant
Chloe Piper: Special Counsel
Jane Sanders: Special Counsel
Alex Scott: Special Counsel
Madeline Simpson: Special Counsel    
Angela Sullivan: Consultant
Joanna Taylor: Executive Counsel
Debra Tulloch: Consultant
Zoe Weir: Executive Counsel
Andrea Wookey: Executive Counsel
Sarah Yu: Special Counsel

Freehills’ Women in Business networking forum was established in 1994 by Stephanie Pursley, former partner, after she attended the Women's Trade Forum in Singapore.

Women in Business aims to foster networks among women at all stages in their professional careers, by providing:

• opportunities for senior business women from diverse organisations and industries to meet one another and exchange views and experiences
• a comfortable environment for women who are up-and-coming in their field to meet senior women in business, and
• opportunities for Freehills women to meet women clients of the firm.

Our Women in Business program comes within the Working with Clients component of our Women at Freehills strategy. For further information, please contact Mary Boittier or Danielle Kelly.