Diversity in UK Construction Disputes Consultancies | What Does The Data Tell Us?

As a specialist recruiter in the niche field of construction claims and disputes, I am increasingly asked by candidates about the level of diversity within the consultancies I represent. To provide clearer answers to have on hand when interviewing, I mapped the market using LinkedIn Talent Insights data, analysing diversity across small, mid-sized, and global firms across different levels of seniority.

The findings were intriguing, not only do they show where progress is being made, but they also highlight some consistent challenges around firm size, recruitment strategies, and progression into leadership roles. I’ve outlined the key patterns below, along with thoughts on what can be done to drive improvement.

Note: The statistics are drawn from LinkedIn Talent Insights and therefore reflect only professionals with active LinkedIn profiles. While not exhaustive, they offer a valuable snapshot of current industry trends.

Diversity based on Firm Size

• Boutique Consultancies (under 30 staff) | Often achieve better gender balance at junior levels but struggle with ethnic diversity and senior female leadership.
  

• Mid-sized firms | Mixed picture. Some are progressing with diverse appointments, but many face pipeline challenges to bring women and ethnic minority professionals into senior leadership.
  

• Large global firms | International reach drives stronger ethnic diversity, but female leadership remains worryingly low.

Diversity based on Seniority

This graph tells a very clear story about diversity “leakage” as professionals progress in seniority within UK construction disputes consultancies.

Strong Diversity at Junior Levels

• Across the industry, around 40% of junior roles are held by women, and 30% by ethnic minority professionals.

• This suggests firms are making progress with diverse hiring at entry level positions.

Sharp Decline at Mid-Level

• By mid-management, representation drops to ~20% for women and ~18% for ethnic minorities.

• This indicates a pipeline issue: while diverse candidates are being recruited, fewer are progressing to management.

Very Low Diversity at Senior/Director Level

•          This shows that barriers to progression are more significant than barriers to entry.

Female Progression Is the Steeper Drop

•          At Senior/Director level, the market remains overwhelmingly male (80–90%+).

• Female representation drops a far sharper decline than ethnic minority representation.

• This highlights that gender progression into leadership is the biggest gap.

Overall Industry Insight

The UK construction disputes consultancy sector is taking steps towards diversity, particularly at entry level, but the industry as a whole is still facing two major challenges:

• Advancing women into senior leadership roles.

• Ensuring Ethnic Minority professionals progress into decision-making positions, not just being well-represented in global headcounts.
  

Recruitment alone isn’t enough, the challenge is retention and progression. Firms need to look at mentorship, promotion pathways, flexible working, and leadership development to ensure diverse junior hires don’t stall mid-career. Clients and candidates will notice if consultancies appear diverse at the entry level but not in their decision-making leadership teams.

Why Diversity Matters:

• Complex Problems Require Diverse Thinking: Claims and disputes are rarely straightforward; they involve technical detail, contract law, project management, and negotiation. A team with diverse backgrounds (cultural, professional, gender, and educational) brings different ways of analysing problems.

• Global Nature of Projects and Tribunals: Construction disputes often span multiple jurisdictions and involve international arbitration. Having a team that reflects different cultures and languages improves communication with clients, tribunals, and stakeholders.

• Talent Attraction and Retention: The claims and disputes field is niche, with a limited pool of experienced professionals. By embracing diversity, consultancies widen their talent pipeline beyond traditional routes. Inclusive environments also improve employee satisfaction and retention, reducing turnover costs in a specialist industry.

•  Better Decision-Making in Disputes: Dispute resolution often comes down to persuasion and clarity of argument. A team that brings different perspectives and communication styles is better placed to anticipate opposing arguments. Diverse expert witnesses and claims consultants may connect more effectively with tribunals, clients, or opposing parties.

•  Reputation and Future Growth: The industry is under increasing pressure to modernise and attract younger generations. Showcasing diversity demonstrates that construction disputes is a forward-looking profession, not a traditional, exclusive club. This supports long-term growth of the sector and makes it more appealing to graduates and career changers.

How Consultancies Can Improve Diversity:

Rethink Recruitment Channels

• Avoid hiring only through word-of-mouth or “who you know” networks — these often reinforce existing demographics.
  

• Advertise roles more widely, using platforms that reach underrepresented groups.
  

• Partner with specialist recruiters who have the time and expertise to map the market and can provide diverse shortlists.
  

• For women: Partner with universities and professional bodies (RICS, CIArb, CIOB) to encourage early entry into disputes careers and highlight success stories of female leaders in marketing/recruitment campaigns.

• For ethnic minorities: Engage with wider professional networks and community associations to build visibility of the disputes profession as a viable, respected career.

• Make sure these hires don’t just stay at entry level — support them with early exposure to high-value projects and client-facing roles.

Mentorship & Sponsorship

• Pair junior female and ethnic minority consultants with senior role models in the firm.

• Encourage sponsorship, not just mentorship — senior leaders actively championing diverse talent for promotions, not only advising.

Transparent Career Progression

• Publish clear promotion pathways with measurable criteria for moving from consultant → associate → director.

• Regularly review promotion stats to see if women and ethnic minority professionals are progressing at the same rate as peers.

Inclusive Leadership Culture

• Ensure leadership teams actively promote diversity in project staffing, expert witness appointments, and client pitches.

• Employees are more engaged when they see people like them in decision-making roles — it signals long-term opportunity.

Flexible and Supportive Work Practices

• Offer hybrid working, part-time options, and support for professionals returning from career breaks.

• Recognise cultural differences (e.g. international staff adjusting to UK practices) and provide support structures.

• Flexibility helps prevent mid-career drop-offs, which disproportionately affect women and ethnic minority professionals balancing work and personal pressures.

Measure & Report Progress

• Track diversity at all levels, not just junior hiring. And share progress with staff — transparency builds trust.

• When employees see firms are serious about inclusion — not just token hires — they’re more likely to stay and build their careers there.

Partner with Maxim Recruitment

To fully succeed with shortlisting and hiring a diverse workforce, it would be useful to partner with a specialist recruitment consultancy like Maxim Recruitment. Leverage the expertise of specialist claims and disputes recruitment consultants, using our targeted and detailed approach to efficiently map the market and provide diverse shortlists.

For more details on how the Maxim Recruitment team can assist, please get in touch with our UK head office on 0203 710 8098 or submit a vacancy and we will reach out to discuss further.

Nilam Modhwadia
Senior Recruitment Consultant
Maxim Recruitment
LinkedIn

Nilam is a Recruitment Consultant based in the Maxim head office in Leicester, UK. She supports the team with researching, headhunting, shortlisting, and interviewing valuable construction industry candidates, to place them in premium construction jobs with our market-leading UK and international clients.