Press Release
Sandton law firms appoints seven PDIs as directors in one month
22 March 2006
By appointing seven new directors this month Sandton law firm Routledge Modise Moss Morris dramatically changed its representation at partnership level. In one fell swoop the number of previously disadvantaged directors was increased from 28% to 39%.
It is more difficult for law firms to implement employment equity than for other companies, as ownership of a law firm vests in its partners who have to be lawyers. Window-dressing is not an option. To attain partnership level in a law firm requires professional growth and experience. This can be gained by either moving up through the ranks within a firm from candidate attorney to associate level and then to director level, which takes time, or by joining a firm after having obtained that experience elsewhere. Experienced lawyers at senior level, however, are widely sought after and difficult to recruit.
Says Terry Mahon, chairman of the firm, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome three new directors, SJ Thema, Gabriela Palacios-Flusk and Tholoana Makhu to the firm. At the same time, we are pleased that we have recruited quality people in the past and were able to promote Gloria Ndlovu, Zarina Kellerman, Tanya Waksman and Nikki Piaggesi to director level from within. We have been committed to pursue empowerment strategies and our goal is that not less than 25% of the economic benefit and control of the firm should be held by historically disadvantaged individuals by December 2007. With these seven new appointments we have made tremendous inroads towards this target.”
The firm now has the following representation at partnership level:
8 white females = 18,18%
5 BEE females = 11,36%
4 BEE males = 9,09%
27 white males = 61,36%
TOTAL BEE = 20,45%
TOTAL PDI = 38,64%
The breakdown of all professional members of staff is as follows:
13 white females = 19%
8 BEE females = 12%
10 BEE males = 15%
36 white males = 54%
TOTAL BEE = 27%
TOTAL PDI = 46%