Earlier this month, we published a blog on LGBTQ+ figures in the legal sector in which we highlighted individuals who, at current, are courageously paving the way for those in the LGBTQ+ Community.
Within this blog, we also highlighted Stonewall, who are the largest LGBTQ+ non-profit charity within the UK. Each year Stonewall publish a list of organisations that form their top 100 Employers and highlight the hard work these organisations have achieved over the year, as well as their acceptance without exception for all LGBTQ+ people. Within this list, we are proud to note Leeds City Council was ranked at 62nd place this year. Each year, Stonewall also aim to recognise individuals who have advanced LGBTQ+ equality within their organisations and beyond, making a change for the better as recognised by their award winners scheme.
Here at Thrive we wanted to follow in Stonewall’s footsteps in continuing to highlight those who have bravely and courageously changed mindsets, refuted stereotypes, and battled adversity within the legal sector, in support of the LGBTQ+ community. This week, we wanted to highlight Mr Daniel Gerring!
In February 2016, Daniel was a part of a panel of LGBT lawyers at the Law Society’s annual celebration of LGBT history which marked the launch of the Law Society’s new LGBT Lawyers Division with its purpose being to shape the Law Society’s strategy on promoting LGBT diversity and inclusion in the profession. The panel spoke about their experiences and the main issues to confront. Among their findings it was revealed that 96% of gay male and 92% of gay female lawyers were out in their personal lives. However, only 9% of gay male and 27% of gay female lawyers described themselves as ‘widely out’ in the workplace and that 40% of those under 25 had kept their sexual orientation a secret at their first firm. Despite the fact that this survey was conducted several years ago, these issues are still prevalent both within the UK and worldwide. However, we are hopeful if this survey were to be conducted today it would yield better results, in reference to all the hard work achieved by so many individuals, including Daniel Gerring.
Daniel is a Senior Partner and the only gay partner at Travers Smith, he is also the Head of Pensions and sits on the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Board and has been Travers’ senior champion for LGBTQ+ equality since 2012 and chairs their LGBT+ Group. In highlighting Daniel’s notable achievements, for a fourth consecutive year he has been ranked in OUTstanding’s worldwide 100 LGBT+ Executives List. He was also highlighted by the British LGBT Awards as a Top 10 LGBT+ Inspirational leader in 2017.
Among Daniel’s other achievements, he is a trustee/non-executive director of several charities and is involved with a number of development projects in his local community. Currently Daniel sits on the board of young person’s homelessness charity City YMCA London, which supports young homeless people in London, of which 25% are estimated to be LGBTQ+. He is also a volunteer consultant to Brighter Futures Zambia, which is an education and social development project for children affected by AIDS/HIV in Southern Africa. He was also a founding member of the National LGBT Solicitors Committee at The Law Society of England and Wales and launched a mentoring programme for LGBT+ university students from across the country in partnership with Just Like Us. In 2018, he was appointed a Leadership Fellow of St George’s House, Windsor Castle and is also a founding member of The Alliance, which is a network of senior LGBTQ leaders from around the world and is recognised as leader in the diversity and inclusion field.
A Senior Partner at Travers Smith, Chris Hale, commented that: “He [Daniel] has been an effective advocate for LGBT equality, both within Travers Smith and beyond, and has contributed immensely to the firm’s inclusive culture.”
In respect of the above, we wanted to highlight Mr Gerring’s contributions, both legal and charitable, as he is easily an integral and a vital part of the LGBTQ+ sector as well as the legal sector and is a remarkable individual paving the way forward and enforcing change, not just for LGBTQ+ individuals within the legal sector but for individuals all across the UK and abroad. For this and all his efforts, we are truly grateful!
Written by the Thrive Tribe
