Construction Partner, Sarah Rock awarded LGBTQIA Corporate Champion of the Year

Last week, to mark the close of Lesbian Visibility Week, DIVA Magazine hosted their annual awards ceremony, where Construction Partner, Sarah Rock had been shortlisted in the ‘LGBTQIA Corporate Champion of the Year’ category, alongside nominees from St James's Place, KPMG, Mishcon de Reya, HSBC, BCLP, Astra Zeneca, Vodafone, Channel 4, Citi, Amazon, State Street, Santander and Paramount.

The evening celebrated the achievements of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people, and their allies, looking at the future of queer visibility, showcasing changemakers who serve as role models to the next generation, recognising the incredible talent the community holds, and the value and importance of the DIVA demographic.

Construction Partner, Sarah Rock was awarded ‘LGBTQIA Corporate Champion of the Year’. She comments: “In all honesty I was quite touched to receive this award as it represents all of the things I have been so passionate about over the years. Throughout my legal career I have strived to be out and proud and be visible for others in the LGBTQIA+ community. Now as EDI Partner at Boodle Hatfield, it seems as important as ever to be visible for the next generation.”

“I have worked on a number of initiatives over the years, including helping with the start of the charity Diversity Role Models providing their first office space. I am proud to have been a part of DiversCity In Law, an initiative where a number of City law firms collaborated by hosting a graduate recruitment day for LGBTQIA+ students to let them know that people that looked like them had achieved a career in the law and that being LGBTQIA+ is not a barrier – some of the students who came to these events have now completed their training contracts and are now qualified. On the day they first turned up they were so nervous and were convinced that they couldn’t be themselves and have this career.”

“I am proud to show visibility and I hope it encourages more LGBTQIA+ people to follow this career path if it is the one they want. There weren’t many out lesbian partners in the early stages on my career and it is very hard to be what you can’t see!”

Sarah also recently contributed to DIVA Magazine’s ‘Legally Lesbian’ segment on why lesbian visibility is so important. Click here to read the full article.

At Boodle Hatfield, we are fully committed to creating a working environment in which all people can excel. We are well known in the market for having an open, friendly and supportive culture that enables our people to thrive – being themselves at work. More information on the firm’s DE&I initiatives can be found here.