b'Unity in diversityFor much of their history the antecedent firms wereIn 2001 the firm made a formal commitment to inclusion conservative and reflected the narrow composition andand diversity and became the first Australian organisation attitudes of Australian society.to sign the United Nations Global Compact. By the middle of the twentieth century things were startingToday the firms ALLin LGBTIQ+ network is an important part to change. Allen Allen & Hemsley, under the stewardshipof the social fabric of the firm and in 2015 Allens was the of Sir Norman Cowper, started the process of creating afirst major Australian law firm to publicly support marriage meritocracy. Lawyers were hired and partners appointedequality. Today 75 per cent of Allens people identify with from an increasingly diverse range of socio-economic,one or more cultural backgrounds from somewhere other religious and cultural backgrounds and the firm becamethan Australia, and 20 per cent identify with cultural known for its acceptance of all sexual orientations. Thebackgrounds where English is not the first language. process, however, was neither quick nor straightforward.Women now comprise 66 per cent of the firms workforce Things also moved slowly for women. The first femaleand 37 per cent of partners. Since 2006 the firm has lawyer, Airlie Smith, was employed in 1941, yet it was notextended opportunities to First Nations peoples through its until 1985 that the firm appointed its first female partner,Indigenous Legal Internship Program, and it looks forward Judy Mutton. In 2016 Fiona Crosbie was the first femaleto the time First Nations peoples are well represented to be appointed chair of the firm. The toughest hurdles,throughout the firm. however, were faced by First Nations peoples for whom the opportunity to study and practise law was not a realisticIn celebrating difference, Allens has always found unity.prospect for many years. 241'