Akin > Geneva, Switzerland > Firm Profile

Diversity

At Akin, we believe the various perspectives and experiences of our lawyers and staff help us achieve exceptional results for our clients and bring important insights into all aspects of the firm.

Firmwide Resource Groups

Our firm sponsors eleven firmwide resource groups (FRGs) for lawyers and staff focused on Abilities, Asian, Black, Middle Eastern & North African, Native American/American Indian, Latinx, Women, LGBTQ+, Parents/Caregivers and Veterans. These FRGs complement the firm’s efforts related to recruiting, professional development, and fostering inclusive workplaces. They are voluntary and open to all lawyers and staff.

Local Diversity Equity & Inclusion Councils

Akin has a firm-wide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Council to guide the execution of the firm’s DEI strategy. We also have local DEI councils in each U.S. office, London and our Asia offices. DEI councils offer lawyers and staff a chance to communicate ideas to firm management and to recommend additional initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusion at the firm.

Family Friendly Policies

At Akin, we support lawyers through policies and programmes that enable them to effectively manage and integrate work, family, and other responsibilities. The firm has a Reduced Work Schedule Policy, which allows lawyers to work reduced schedules and remain on partnership track. In particular, we have a significant track record of promotions of women who have availed themselves of the policy.

We also have an Agile Work Programme that recognises that agile work arrangements play an important role in providing excellent client service at the highest levels while also providing flexibility for our lawyers.

The firm offers one to one coaching sessions to help new parents successfully manage their journey to parenthood. It has also partnered with Bright Horizons to offer back up care and City Parents, which offers expert support and resources for working parents & caregivers.

Pro bono

Our lawyers defend human rights by representing asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and the NGOs that assist them. Our pro bono matters include public interest litigation, legislative counselling, poverty law and transactions, in each of Akin’s offices. The firm is also focused on leveraging our tremendous pro bono commitment to address injustice and pursue equality throughout our communities.

London

The London office of Akin is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment where all members of the Akin community can thrive and grow. We maintain a culture that sees differences as strengths. Local chapters of our FRGs support BAME, Abilities, LGBTQ+, Women, Social Mobility and Parents & Caregivers.

During our trainee recruiting process, we utilise blind screening by removing the name and gender from student applications to reduce the opportunity for bias. We have no minimum A-Level requirement to apply to our trainee programme. Applicants are asked to take a critical thinking assessment to help us ensure that a broad range of candidates have the opportunity to reach the interview and selection process. We also partner with Bright Network and Aspiring Solicitors, and participate in their careers fairs.

We maintain strategic external partnerships with a number of professional, social and cultural organisations to foster diversity and inclusion. These include a Bridge Builder programme with leading youth and education charity City Year, an internship programme and a mentoring initiative with the Social Mobility Foundation, sponsorship of the AS Foundation which seeks to reduce financial barriers to entry to the legal professional, Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme and a school backpack project for the families’ division of homeless charity Shelter. We also work with leading women’s charitable organisations including Refuge, Solace Women’s Aid and Vital Voices.