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Championing Change: A Panel Discussion on the Future of DEI in the legal world

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At CyXcel, we believe that conversations about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) must go beyond statements — they must drive action.

That’s why we were proud to host a thought-provoking panel discussion, bringing together three extraordinary women in the legal & cyber industry to explore the current state of DEI, the challenges ahead, and the steps needed to foster lasting change.

Hosted by Michela Resta, CyXcel’s Cyber and Data Privacy Solicitor and CSR Officer, the session aligned with this year’s International Women’s Day theme: Accelerate Action. 

While progress is being made, the pace remains slow — and in some areas, recent months have seen concerning pushback against DEI initiatives.

To share insights into these trends, we were joined by:

  • Sarah Walton, Managing Partner at Weightmans LLP and the firm’s first female leader, who shared her journey and insights on driving change from the top.
  • Louisa Weix, Founder and Managing Partner at US-based firm TittmannWeix, who brought a transatlantic perspective on legal leadership, cyber, and DEI in the corporate world.
  • Dr Megha Kumar, Partner, Chief Product Officer and Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel, who reflected on how organizations can stay committed to equity in the face of external headwinds.

 

Together, they tackled questions including:

  • What is the impact of the current DEI backlash and how it’s playing out in the legal sector?
  • How to ensure gender equality isn’t only recognised on a single day, but embedded year-round in corporate policies and processes?
  • What practical steps can create meaningful DEI strategies — and what are the pitfalls to avoid?
  • How to engage the broader workforce in making DEI everyone’s responsibility?
  • What to do when progress feels like it’s stalling?

 

Watch the full discussion here:

This candid and inspiring conversation is now available to watch. Whether you’re a leader or a practitioner in the field of legal and cyber, or someone looking to better understand how to support equity in your organization, we hope this sparks reflection -- and more importantly -- action.