Sydney—Dentons, the world's largest global firm, has partnered with the Older Women’s Network (OWN) to provide pro bono services and support employment pathways for older women in need.

As part of a pilot program designed to help older women re-enter the workplace, Dentons has created a role for a woman over 50, with existing Dentons staff acting as mentors to ensure a smooth transition back into the workplace. In addition, Dentons will provide pro bono legal advice to women in need who are members of OWN.

The statistics around women’s homelessness are confronting. According to OWN, women over 50 are the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia, with the number of 50-74 year old women seeking support for homeless services increasing by 55% in the last decade.

Socio-economic status and gender norms mean that older women often have lower salaries, savings and superannuation than men. They also take on the majority of caring and reproductive responsibilities and are more likely to experience violence. Add in risk factors like the death of a partner, divorce, illness or injury, and many women are suddenly at risk of homelessness.

By partnering with OWN to provide pathways to employment and access to justice for older women, Dentons not only aims to help reduce women’s homelessness, but reinforce its commitment to gender equity and community.

“This partnership with Dentons is a significant step forward in creating meaningful opportunities for older women to re-enter the workforce,” said Yumi Lee, CEO of the Older Women’s Network. “We’re grateful for their commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of these women.”

Dentons Partner and Executive Sponsor of Diversity and Inclusion, Ben Allen said, “Inclusion, diversity and equity are core to our business. We are committed to making a real change in the places we live and work and are very excited to help these women find justice through legal support, as well as rebuild their confidence through meaningful employment.”

“What started as a conversation with Ms. Lee about the challenges facing older women, has now grown into this wonderful initiative. I’m so excited to see it come to fruition and give our people a chance to be involved,” concluded Social Impact and Inclusion Manager, Jack Meehan.

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