International Women’s Day 2023

Jones Whyte, believe that it is important to provide equal opportunities and fair representation for women, and everyone, at all levels of the firm. With this in mind, the Jones Whyte Women’s Committee was established in 2022, with the objective of improving representation and enhancing our employees experience and career progression.

The committee, made up of one female member of staff from each department, meets once a month to discuss a variety of topics including fundraising, social events, and how Jones Whyte can improve the experience of our female staff and help to contribute meaningfully towards their career.

This International Woman’s Day, our committee spoke with women from across the firm to better understand the impact the committees policies are making day to day and discover why they felt Jones Whyte was such a positive place for women to work.

First was Ashley in our Personal Injury team, who highlighted the firm’s flexible working policy, and how this allows her to better balance her time between work and family:

When I first joined Jones Whyte I had a family of 3 sons and a helpful partner.

After being with the firm for around one year I found myself a single parent with very little at-home support. I spoke with my Managers and they provided a great deal of support and offered additional help for my mental health also.

My Managers support allowed me to be flexible with my working hours to attend appointments and care for my children to the best of my ability.  They also provided guidance on what shifts would be best for my home and work life and I can now give my sons more time and do my work as well as I possibly can.

Ashley Todd, Paralegal

The committee also caught up with Deborah Carmichael, Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution, who welcomed her baby girl Sienna in 2021. Deborah said:

The team and firm were incredibly supportive from when I announced my pregnancy to when I went on maternity leave. I had keeping-in-touch days throughout my maternity leave, which was great for me as I could keep in touch with colleagues and the latest goings on in the firm.

On return for maternity leave, I was offered a flexible working pattern and was able to use up a holiday per week so I could spend as much time as I could initially with Sienna. I am now working a four day week which suits my work and home life perfectly.

Deborah Carmichael, Partner.

Whilst the Women’s Committee has had a productive 2022, we are not standing still.

We have recently created a nursing room within our West George Street office, making it easy for new mothers returning to work to still be able to breastfeed when they need to, and continue to work on making a positive impact in the firm and in the community.

We will be fundraising for Glasgow Women’s Aid throughout the year, a charity that provides support for women, children, and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Our goal is to raise funds to provide shelter and support to families and women in need.