Six Degrees Women's Network

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Six Degrees, Sparke Helmore's Women's Network, encourages, motivates and supports Sparke Helmore's women lawyers and other women in the firm's client community.

Six Degrees recognises that the modern world is shrinking due to the ever-increasing connectedness of human beings through technology, communications and travel.

The network provides opportunities for professional and personal growth through:

• leadership, including mentoring to assist professional women to convert career opportunities into achievement
• knowledge sharing and networking to encourage, motivate and support Sparke Helmore's women lawyers and other women in our client community
• education, by contributing to the legal sector's understanding of the situation for women within the industry, and their achievements.

Women at Sparke Helmore

Six Degrees is consistent with Sparke Helmore's strategic objective to provide an environment that allows all staff to thrive, share and excel.

While Sparke Helmore maintains above market performance in the representation of women among senior practitioners including partners, and half of the membership of firm's board are women, the firm recognises that women are generally under-represented in the legal profession's leadership ranks.

Practitioners at Sparke Helmore benefit from a number of professional development programmes including:

Mentoring

Mentors from Sparke Helmore have the opportunity to participate in programmes such as LEAPS, (Law firms Encouraging and Assisting Promising Students, in conjunction with the NSW Department of Education and Training), and the Lucy Mentoring Programme, an innovative leadership programme with a focus on developing and supporting undergraduates studying business, economics and law convened by the NSW Office for Women.

An internal mentoring program facilitates relationships across the firm to foster personal and career development, networking and sharing of knowledge, experience and learning.

Personal and professional development

• Personal effectiveness: To assist lawyers to manage their practice, working relationships and career, we offer seminars and training sessions on topics such as presentation skills, time management and career planning.
• Leadership and management development: Leadership and management development programs are available to those who currently manage others or who are looking to develop their skills. Topics include coaching, mentoring, giving feedback, delegation and goal setting.
• Post-graduate studies: Many of our lawyers further their education and skills through the completion of post graduate qualifications (eg Masters of Law). We provide financial assistance and study leave.
• Client and relationship management skills: Skill development in such areas as sales training, business development and marketing, negotiation skills, networking and handling the media.