“Balance for Better” IWD 2019 panel

International law firm Ince Gordon Dadds hosted a “Balance for Better” International Women’s Day panel debate on Friday 13th March 2019 at their Aldgate Tower offices. Moderated by Catherine Earnshaw, a panel comprising Lopa Patel MBE, Marc Reace-Coles and Marilyn Stowe discussed a range of issues including universal high-quality childcare and well-funded shared parental leave (with a use-it-or-lose-it proportion for fathers); what men stand to gain from gender balance and whether phrases like “pale, male and stale” create a barrier to progressing the gender balance agenda.

Attended by over 50 of the firm’s employees and guests, attendees also heard discussion on whether positive initiatives like making it mandatory to have female representation on pitching teams, publicly declaring gender targets, and having a quota for the number of female candidates on partnerships promotion round would help improve gender diversity in the legal sector. The panel also reviewed whether employing more women and tackling sexism in the workplace is the key to making the world economy richer, more equal and less prone to devastating financial collapses.

About the speakers

Catherine Earnshaw (Moderator)
Partner, Ince Gordon Dadds London

Catherine Earnshaw specialises in shipping litigation and dispute resolution, as well as dealing with general commercial disputes including debt recovery actions.

Catherine has wide ranging experience advising on disputes under or connected to the full range of shipping contracts including charterparties, COAs, bills of lading, pool agreements, MOAs, shipbuilding contracts, commission agreements and bunker supply contracts. She acts regularly for a broad variety of international shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, operators and ship managers in the English High Court and has been involved in a number of matters which have progressed to the UK Supreme Court. Catherine also manages multi-jurisdictional disputes involving connected proceedings in various countries.
Catherine also provides advice on non-contentious issues, including assistance with drafting charter party terms and related contracts as well as reviewing MOAs, shipbuilding contracts and dealing with ship sale and purchase matters.

Lopa Patel MBE
Digital Marketing Entrepreneur

Lopa Patel is a digital entrepreneur with significant experience of creating start-ups and transforming businesses through technology. The founder of two ventures in online media and a data-driven marketing consultancy, she is also the Founder & CEO of equality and inclusion think tank Diversity UK; a Trustee of The Science Museum Group and a Non-Executive Director of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

She is an ambassador for entrepreneurship, innovation and technology and has been recognised with accolades including an MBE for services to the creative industries; the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion and an Honorary Doctorate by The Open University, in recognition of her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in science and technology and her broader contribution to British industry, society and culture.

Marc Reace-Coles
Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Lloyd’s

As the Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Lloyd’s, Marc works across the D&I spectrum, supporting both the corporation and the insurance market. Before moving to Lloyd’s, he worked at RBS for nearly 15 years in various commercial banking and in-branch roles, most recently as Global Inclusion Manager. Marc also volunteers for Diversity Role Models, a charity aimed at challenging negative stereotypes around LGBT issues. He has also been an ambassador for Trans*formation, a charity which supports organisations with gender identity awareness, training and policy support.

Marilyn Stowe
Founder of Stowe Family Law and Family Lawyer

Marilyn founded Stowe Family Law in 1982, which grew to become the UK's largest specialist family law firm. She sold her interest in the firm to private equity investors and retired in 2017.

She has appeared in print and broadcast media, including the BBC, ITV and Sky News. She blogged for The Times and was the resident family lawyer on ITV show This Morning. Marilyn is the author of three books. In January, she opened trading at the London Stock Exchange at the launch of a global Women’s Business Network.

International Women's Day 2019 #BalanceforBetter campaign

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - while also marking a call to action for accelerating gender balance.

From grassroots activism to worldwide action, we are entering an exciting period of history where the world expects balance. We notice its absence and celebrate its presence. Balance drives a better working world. Let's all help create a #BalanceforBetter.

The 2019 #BalanceforBetter campaign runs all year long. It doesn't end on International Women's Day. The campaign theme provides a unified direction to guide and galvanize continuous collective action, with #BalanceforBetter activity reinforced and amplified all year.

Balance is not a women's issue, it's a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage …

Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive.

Collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender-balanced world is key.
The first International Women's Day occurred in 1911, supported by over one million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.

Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist once explained "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."

For further information visit https://www.internationalwomensday.com/