Progress in practice
Yuen Phing Choo and Hannah Chima of Trowers & Hamlins on why diversity matters beyond International Women’s Day. They talk about how inclusion, allyship and transparent leadership build stronger, more diverse teams.
International Women’s Day is a valuable moment to take stock, but building diverse, high-performing legal teams isn’t the work of a single day, it’s shaped by the everyday decisions that firms make year-round. In the UAE, where the legal market is moving faster than ever, that work has never been more important.
DIVERSITY ISN’T JUST THE RIGHT THING, IT’S SMART BUSINESS
The UAE is home to one of the most international business communities in the world. Walk into any client meeting and you’re likely to encounter people from half a dozen countries, navigating multiple legal systems, cultural expectations, and commercial contexts. In that environment, perspective is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
Bringing together people with different backgrounds and experiences leads to better questions, sharper analysis, and fewer blind spots. It is the same reason a major transaction is never delivered by lawyers alone. Commercial minds, finance experts, and operational thinkers are needed. Legal teams are no different. Firms that bring together lawyers with varied experiences, across jurisdictions, sectors, and gender, produce advice that is more insightful, practical, and aligned with the client’s real-world challenges. Diversity isn’t a talking point; it’s how legal teams reduce blind spots, strengthen decision-making, and deliver results that clients can rely on.
However, diversity alone doesn’t guarantee better outcomes. Leadership that actively fosters inclusion and champions talent across the firm is required.
LEADERSHIP IS LOOKING DIFFERENT AND ALLYSHIP IS CRITICAL
A quiet but significant shift in the UAE legal market is recognition that real progress isn’t just about women reaching senior positions, it is about creating cultures where everyone, regardless of gender, works to dismantle barriers and champion talent.
Allyship is not abstract, it’s practical. It includes recognising the barriers women face in the workplace from balancing professional and personal responsibilities to returning from career breaks, working in traditionally male-dominated practice areas, or navigating early-career visibility, and supporting them. When senior partners (men and women alike) use their influence to advocate for colleagues who might otherwise be overlooked, challenge bias in real-time, and ensure opportunities are distributed equitably, that is when structural change happens.
The best leaders combine strategic strength with empathy, creating environments where everyone feels confident contributing ideas and developing their own leadership style. Male allies who actively sponsor women, call out inequitable treatment, and examine their own assumptions, are essential to progress. Equally, women in leadership who reach back and pull others forward play a critical role.
The shift underway in the UAE is clear: diversity is no longer “a women’s issue.” Building inclusive, high-performing teams is everyone’s responsibility.
WHAT’S HELPING WOMEN PROGRESS
Several factors are making a real difference:
- Visibility matters. Seeing women leading transactions, speaking at conferences, and sitting in partnership meetings normalises success rather than making it exceptional. Representation shows junior lawyers that progression is possible and signals to leaders and peers alike that women belong at every level.
- Sponsorship makes the difference. Mentorship is valuable, but sponsorship is what progresses careers. That means senior partners, including male allies, actively putting women’s names forward for high-profile matters, supporting them in business development, and backing them publicly during promotion decisions.
- Transparency helps everyone. Firms that have moved away from vague, subjective promotion criteria towards clearer, more objective benchmarks are seeing progress, particularly for those historically disadvantaged by assessments where unconscious bias creeps in.
- Flexibility that works. Progressive firms treat flexible working as more than a policy on paper. Making it a practical reality (ensuring those who use it are not penalised) allows talented professionals to thrive without sacrificing career progression.
WHAT WE’RE DOING ACROSS THE FIRM
Talk is easy. Action is what counts.
Within our UAE offices, we are approaching near parity in the representation of women and men across our senior ranks, something we are proud of as we push for more.
Our leadership development programmes are designed to train all participants to adopt a mindset that actively recognises bias, champions diverse talent, and fosters equitable opportunities. The focus is not just on individual advancement, but on cultivating a culture where leadership at every level strengthens high-performing, inclusive teams and ensures diverse talent can thrive.
Our women-led initiatives from client roundtables and knowledge-sharing forums to mentorship networks connecting junior lawyers with senior role models create visibility, build skills, and foster relationships that go beyond guidance to genuine sponsorship and advocacy. Outreach in Trowers does not have to be formal; sometimes the most meaningful connections are made over a coffee or a shared experience outside of the office.
WHAT STILL NEEDS WORK
Progress doesn’t mean the job is done. Challenges remain:
- The “only woman in the room” dynamic is still too common. Women shouldn’t have to represent their entire gender in every meeting.
- Double standards persist. Women who speak assertively are sometimes labelled “difficult,” when the same behaviour could equally be praised as “strong leadership.”
- Business development opportunities need equal distribution. Speaking slots, conference panels, client entertainment – these visibility-building opportunities should be shared equitably.
WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS
The UAE government has made gender balance a strategic priority. Multinational clients expect diversity as standard practice. Law firms must keep pace with a market that is already moving not because it’s International Women’s Day, but because it’s smart business which attracts the best talent and reflects the market we serve.
UAE based clients are sophisticated, international, and increasingly discerning about who they instruct. They want advisers who reflect the world they operate in. Diverse, inclusive teams are not just better for the firm – they are better for the client.
Progress isn’t an annual celebration rather it is the outcome of daily decisions, consistent leadership, and a firm-wide commitment to building teams that reflect the clients we advise.
Text by:
- Yuen Phing Choo, senior associate, Trowers & Hamlins LLP, Abu Dhabi
- Hannah Chima, associate, Trowers & Hamlins LLP, Abu Dhabi
