Workplace
Fostering a culture where our people can thrive remains central to our firm’s strategy and to who we are as a firm. Our refreshed 2026-2028 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy reaffirms our commitment to inclusion at a time of growing external challenge. Our focus is practical: recognising, supporting and valuing difference so our people can perform at their best and contribute to the firm’s long-term strength.
This strategy builds on the strong foundations established in recent years and is organised around four pillars: gender; sexual orientation and gender identity; race and ethnicity and disability and neurodiversity.
Over the past year, we have continued to embed inclusive practices, including recruitment, retention, career development, pay and family supports. We have also strengthened our focus on education, awareness and allyship through initiatives such as bystander and unconscious bias training and our Art of Speaking programme. In parallel, we have continued to support diverse talent pipelines through initiatives such as the ADVANCE programme. While we have made progress, we recognise that there is more to do, and that maintaining focus and transparency will be critical to delivering on our ambitions.
We continue to actively seek and respond to feedback to ensure that our EDI strategy remains relevant, practical and aligned to the needs of our people and the wider environment in which we operate. Creating an inclusive workplace is not only the right thing to do, it is also critical to fostering innovation, supporting better decision-making and sustaining the long-term success of the firm.
Find out more about our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programme by clicking on the video below.
Gender
Gender balance remains a key measure of our progress. Having exceeded our original 2028 target of 40% women partners, we have set revised targets under our EDI Strategy 2026–2028.
In November 2025 we published our latest Gender Pay Gap report. The firm's gender pay gap figures demonstrate continued momentum. Our mean gender pay gap (excluding equity partners) reduced from 3% in 2024 to 1% in 2025. This positive movement reflects our ongoing commitment to narrowing the gap and supporting female representation at all levels of the firm.
We continue to strengthen support for colleagues taking extended family leave, helping make the transition between work and home as smooth as possible. Alongside maternity, paternity, carers, fertility and surrogacy leave policies, the firm provides maternity coaching and supported the rollout of a new childcare support platform this year. We are pleased to report that in FY25/26, 80 people availed of some form of family leave, an increase of almost 4% on the previous financial year.
We continue to collaborate with the 30% Club Ireland, which is committed to supporting organisations to achieve improved gender balance, and we are pleased to be one of the three co-supporters of the Country Executive for Ireland role at the 30% Club.
Over the past 12 months, colleagues heard from accomplished women who shared inspiring experiences and practical insights. To mark our celebrations for International Women’s Day, we welcomed award-winning sports broadcaster and author of Girls Play Too, Jacqui Hurley, for a fireside discussion on her career and how she has successfully broken down barriers in a male-dominated industry. We were also pleased to host Laura Kiernan from The Marie Keating Foundation, one of the firm’s three charity partners, for a health and wellness session.
We also partnered with Aoife Hughes from Frazzle to deliver a Life/Work Balance workshop across two sessions for people across the firm. The session focused on making the invisible mental load visible and sharing practical strategies to help participants free up time and energy. We are pleased to report that in FY25/26, 80 people availed of some form of family leave, an increase of almost 4% on the previous financial year.
Jacqui Hurley, RTE sports broadcaster, with Zac Van Horn and Imelda Shiels from the Arthur Cox Gender Committee, on International Women's Day.
We have set revised targets under our EDI Strategy 2026–2028: 45% women partners overall and 40% women equity partners.
As of 30 June 2026, 41% of partners in the firm are women
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
The firm’s LGBTQ+ network, alliance, continues to foster an inclusive and open environment through training, networking and events, while providing a 20
supportive community for LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies. Over the past 12 months alliance has focused on three priorities:
- Keeping LGBTQ+ inclusion visible throughout the year
- Strengthening links with the firm’s Pro Bono practice and LGBTQ+ community organisations, including Outhouse, LGBT Ireland and TENI
- Collaborating with other EDI committees to highlight intersectional issues.
These priorities help make inclusion part of everyday firm life, rather than something marked only through annual events.
Drag Bingo with Victoria Secret
Key events and highlights of the alliance calendar of activities this year included a coffee morning to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility on 31 March, as the firm came together to celebrate our trans colleagues, friends, and family.
alliance’s Pride 2026 programme, themed 'Showing Up with Pride', brought a wide range of activities and events to the firm during the month of June. Once again this year, the firm was pleased to sponsor the Dublin Pride Run and over 70 colleagues from across the firm participated on the day, helping to raise awareness and funds for HIV Ireland, Midlands LGBT+ Project and Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. alliance also collaborated with the firm’s Pro Bono team to host an LGBTQ+ rights and pro bono workshop with Outhouse, focused on how lawyers can make a practical difference when supporting vulnerable LGBTQ+ clients. A lunchtime bingo event with local Drag Queen, Victoria Secret was another highlight of Pride month, as was an LGBTQ+ Book Club event in collaboration with the firm’s race and ethnicity committee, which demonstrated an intersectional approach to inclusion.
The final week of alliance’s Pride programme included several of the committee’s most visible events. Alliance’s interview with the hosts of LGBTQ+ podcast I’m Grand Mam, Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby, featured reflections on growing up queer and the importance of showing up for LGBTQ+ people. alliance also continued established Arthur Cox Pride traditions, including the AC choir performance in the building’s Atrium and the AC Pride Brunch, on the morning of the Dublin Pride Parade, which brought together family, friends and alumni for the celebrations.
Throughout the year, alliance has met with LGBT Ireland, Outhouse and other LGBQ+ advocates to explore opportunities for the firm to provide meaningful support to these organisations. It has also collaborated with TENI to update the firm’s Gender Expression Policy.
Pride Brunch in Arthur Cox offices, Earlsfort Terrace
Hosts of LGBTQ+ podcast I’m Grand Mam, Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby, interviewed by Rob MacCarthy and Cliodhna McHugh
Disability and Neurodiversity
The firm’s disability and neurodiversity pillar was set up in 2024 and adopted the acronym SOUND – Supporting Our Understanding of Neurodiversity and Disability. Over the past year the SOUND committee’s work has focused on awareness, training, practical resources and accessibility improvements, including the SOUND mentor programme, quarterly digital accessibility training, collaboration with Vision Ireland and improved intranet resources for colleagues.
THE SOUND MENTOR PROGRAMME
The mentor programme this year consisted of nine sessions designed to bring participants from across the firm together for monthly small group discussions. Participants were provided with resources in advance of each session, with topics covering ableism and unconscious bias, universal design, neurodivergence, and sensory and psycho-social considerations. In total, 44 participants from across the firm enrolled in the programme.
Mentor Sessions
Participants
Digital accessibility training
Quarterly digital accessibility training sessions continue to be provided to both new and existing staff, and this training has also been incorporated into student work experience programmes. A total of 128 staff attended this training over the last 12 months, with sessions covering accessibility fundamentals, legislative requirements under the European Accessibility Act, and practical strategies for creating accessible content. Participant feedback was very positive, with 100% of respondents reporting an improved understanding of digital accessibility following their training.
VISION IRELAND
In May the SOUND committee hosted an event in collaboration with Vision Ireland to highlight and better understand visual impairment in the workplace. The session was led by Maria Horina and Emilie Mondon from Vision Ireland, who discussed key workplace barriers faced by those with visual impairment and offered practical guidance on improving communication and inclusion. Kevin Lynch, Partner in our Debt Finance Group, also shared his personal experiences of navigating the workplace with vision impairment, providing attendees with a valuable and candid perspective.
Kylie Dollard, Kevin Lynch from Arthur Cox alongside Maria Horina and Emilie Mondon from Vision Ireland
Race and Ethnicity
Over the past year, our race and ethnicity committee, EMBRACE, has continued to play a central role in advancing education, mentoring, community engagement and cultural awareness initiatives. The committee continues its mission to create a workplace environment where colleagues from all racial and ethnic backgrounds feel recognised, valued and able to thrive.
This year, EMBRACE continued to widen access to the legal profession through the ADVANCE mentoring programme, connecting students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds with Arthur Cox associate mentors to support the students’ development and career aspirations in law. Thirty students participated in the 2024/25 programme, supported by mentors from across the firm, alongside university careers events, CV workshops and wider outreach activity for underrepresented groups.
EMBRACE also contributed to the firm's commitment to building a more diverse talent pipeline. The network worked alongside recruitment colleagues in support of the firm's objective of increasing participation from candidates from racial and ethnically diverse backgrounds within the summer intern and trainee programmes.
Throughout the year EMBRACE delivered a wide range of events that celebrated cultural diversity while creating opportunities for learning and dialogue. Black History Month was marked through an art exhibition, a colleague panel discussion and a networking event for university students from across Ireland. The network also celebrated Diwali, hosted educational sessions during Ramadan with Muslim Sisters of Éire, and organised Wear Red Day in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In May EMBRACE marked World Day for Cultural Diversity and Africa Day through firmwide engagement activities that encouraged colleagues to share and learn from one another's cultural experiences. These events helped foster awareness, belonging and cross-cultural understanding across the firm.
EMBRACE also continued to strengthen its external partnerships and community impact this year. The firm partnered with UCD's University of Sanctuary programme to provide financial support to initiatives that assist migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in accessing higher education. EMBRACE also collaborated on initiatives with the African Professional Network of Ireland (APNI) and Muslim Sisters of Eire (MOSE) to reinforce its commitment to education, inclusion and community engagement beyond the firm.
Muslim Sisters of Eire with Omotola Ilori, Maura McLaughlin and Inny Ekeolu from the EMBRACE Committee
Show Racism the Red Card Coffee Morning
Black History Month Art Exhibition
Health & Wellness
The health and wellbeing of our people remains a key priority for the firm. Our Employee Assistance Programme provides confidential counselling, parenting and career coaching. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to employees and their families, alongside online resources for mental, physical and financial wellbeing.
Health & Wellness Month in October 2025 remained a cornerstone of our programme this year. The theme, Access to Services - Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, aligned with World Mental Health Day and focused on raising awareness and encouraging employees to engage with available supports. As part of this, branded bookmarks were distributed to employees, signposting both internal and national mental health resources. A full programme of initiatives was delivered across the month to support both physical and mental wellbeing, including flu vaccinations, massage therapy, reflexology, onsite health checks, financial wellbeing supports and mindfulness sessions. A highlight of the programme was the ‘Staying Grounded’ talk delivered by Louize Carroll, Chartered Social and Organisational Psychologist, who shared practical techniques to build self-awareness, resilience and emotional clarity in response to everyday challenges. Gratitude journals placed at tea stations also encouraged reflection and the development of simple, positive habits.
To mark Ibec’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day, the firm hosted a two-week programme in May. This included initiatives such as chair massage, sound bath sessions, one-to-one nutrition consultations, and financial wellbeing supports. Through this continued programme of activity, we remain committed to fostering a supportive and healthy working environment for all employees, as part of our broader Sustainable Business strategy.
internal wellbeing events and initiatives
community-led events through external partners
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