Women at G + T


Gilbert + Tobin

At Gilbert + Tobin, we know that getting the best result means having the best people. We recruit, develop and advance talented people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and points of view, ensuring that our core attributes of High Performance, Innovation, Authenticity and Collaboration continue to grow.

We have developed a number of professional development programs to ensure all employees realise their full potential. This includes initiatives specifically designed to inform, support and inspire women at all levels of the firm. Recognising that each woman has distinct aspirations, roles and values, we have a range of flexible working arrangements and support structures available, including a leading paid parental leave policy, part-time and job share opportunities, remote working arrangements, flexible working hours and an on-site family room. We are currently focusing on developing new, and strengthening our existing, successful flexible work arrangements in consultation with our people and clients.

Gilbert + Tobin has a depth of female talent, with 33% female partners, women accounting for 63% of our total employee numbers and 20% taking advantage of one of our flexible working arrangements, including a number of our partners.

Statistics and figures are only part of the story. Many of our women hold leadership positions in the firm as Group and People Leaders and members of the G+T Board:

  • Sheila McGregor is the Group Leader for TMT and is a member of the Board. Sheila is also a Non-Executive Director of Seven West Media Limited and the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.
  • Kate Harrison is the Group Leader for Litigation and holds a joint position with Colleen Platford on the Board.
  • Elizabeth Avery is the People Leader for Competition and Regulation. Dianne Banks is the Litigation Group People Leader and co-chairs the People Leaders Group, a group of partners and senior managers who focus specifically on people initiatives and the people strategy of the firm. Outside of Gilbert + Tobin, Dianne sits on the board of Half the Sky Australia, a not-for-profit organisation which raises money to support and educate orphans in China.

Several other Gilbert + Tobin women also contribute to the community. For example:

  • Janet Whiting, Partner, was inducted onto the 2015 Victorian Honour Roll of Women by the Premier of Victoria in March 2015 and awarded the Order of Australia in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her “significant service to the community through contributions to the arts, health and major events sectors, and as a legal professional”. In September 2015, Janet was named in The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards. Janet was recognised in the Culture category which acknowledges women involved in furthering Australia’s cultural presence and impact.”
  • Moya Dodd, Partner, is a former Australian team representative with the Matildas, is the first Australian woman to be appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee, serves as an Executive Committee Member of the Asian Football Confederation, is a Board Member of Football Federation Australia, member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport and named one of the AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence in 2014.
  • Michelle Hannon, Partner, is a director of the National Pro Bono Resource Centre and is a former director of the Public Interest Law Clearing House.
  • Bernadette Jew, Partner, is President of the Management Committee and Foundation Committee for the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra (SCO). Comprised of 60 professional musicians, the SCO is dedicated to new orchestral compositions.
  • Gina Cass-Gottlieb was appointed by the Commonwealth Treasurer as a director on the Reserve Bank Payment Systems Board. Gina is also a board member of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and of the Advisory Board Graduate Program in Competition Law, Melbourne Law School.

Gilbert + Tobin is a member of the Diversity Council of Australia and has been named an Employer of Choice for Women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) in 2013 and 2014.

Our Head of People and Culture, Robyn Whittaker, and our Manager of Organisation Development, Petra Stirling, participated in the Gender Equity in the Workplace forum held by UN Women. This annual forum seeks to develop thought leading ideas for the promotion of gender equity in business and the Australian community.

Gilbert + Tobin also supports disadvantaged women in the community through our pro bono and corporate social responsibility programs, including contributing to the Dress for Success program.

To hear about female experiences at Gilbert + Tobin, please click the video profile of Moya Dodd (Partner) below.

Events

Each year Gilbert + Tobin holds a range of events exploring issues relating to women, from career progression, to ‘leaning in’, to finding your voice. Our recent Women at G+T event gave junior women an opportunity to learn more about goal-setting and maintaining high performance in small group discussions with our leading senior women.