Network for LGBTI legal professionals in Scotland launches

A new organisation for LBGTI legal professionals in Scotland, The Glass Network, has launched.

The group has been founded by Drew McCusker, a law graduate at Drummond Miller who previously worked for the United Nations in their “LGBTI Protection Program”.

He said that while Scotland has made “great strides” to maintain equality and diversity in the legal system, legal professionals themselves are “yet to feel the benefit of such work.”

Mr McCusker said: “Recent evidence has demonstrated the significant gender pay gap for solicitors, and the serious lack of ethnic minorities and females at firms’ senior levels continue to cause concern.”

He added: “Amongst this, equality with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity has never been addressed within the legal sector.

“There is an absence of representation, consideration and understanding of the support provided to LGBTI legal professionals, the career progressions of openly LGBTI solicitors, and the financial advantages that benefit the firms visibly advocating for equality and diversity in the workplace.”

He said that The Glass Network is eager to highlight the fulfilment of equality within the Scottish legal sector, to represent diversity within the profession, and to realise the business advantages gathered by firms that invest in their LGBTI employees.

To achieve this, it aims to provide substantive and accurate information concerning career progression, job satisfaction, and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The current committee members are Katherine Annand, legal counsel in the financial services sector, Janet Hood, of Janet Hood Consulting andScott Clair, of Balfour+Manson.

Specifically, The Glass Network will:

1. provide confidential support for LGBTI professionals;

2. enhance guidance and support to the legal sector;

3. establish an Ally Network, so firms can show visibly support their LGBTI colleagues;

4. lay out guidance and support to firms and organisations on the development and implementation of their diversity and inclusion strategies and policies;

5. create opportunities for peer networking, information sharing and professional development for legal professionals; and

6. work with other organisations, networks and firms in the LGBTI community and the legal sector that share our ambitions.

The network is currently recruiting committee members and looking for legal professionals wanting to get actively involved in moulding a “more prosperous and diverse” Scottish legal profession.

Interested parties can contact Mr McCusker atTheGlassNetworkSco@gmail.com.