Diversity in the legal profession
Realise your potential with upReach Among these organisations is upReach, “a social mobility charity that exists to support undergraduate students from low socio- economic backgrounds to access and sustain top graduate jobs”. upReach was founded in 2012 and has since grown from supporting an initial cohort of 39 students to 3,000 students receiving employability support in 2021/22. More than 85% of its 2018 graduates were in highly skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduation, while first-year students that take part in its programme have three times the average employability skill progression. We spoke to David Steel, director of partnerships at upReach, who explained how upReach works with students and firms: “upReach has what we call a ‘double benefit’ approach. First, we support students who are currently at university to develop the know-how and confidence to succeed when applying to opportunities such as internships, vacation schemes, training contracts and graduate roles. Second, we work closely with employers to encourage best practice so they can hire high-potential talent and help them to become more socially diverse organisations.”
LawCareers.Net’s Diversity hub LawCareers.Net’s Diversity hub, sponsored by Gowling WLG (UK) LLP, offers future lawyers an insight into the work that some organisations are doing to advocate and implement diversity within the workplace and the legal profession. Andy Stylianou, chair at Gowling WLG, says “We recognise that diversity and inclusion needs to be core to our firm’s culture and values and everything we do as a business because it fosters an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong. It helps us to connect with, support and learn from our clients and suppliers. It provides a way for us to engage with and represent the communities we are part of and to create a more inclusive and equitable profession.” Recent actions to improve diversity and inclusion in the profession include: • the launch of the Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund 2022 “to provide financial assistance to aspiring solicitors working in social welfare law for organisations serving disadvantaged communities”; • Clyde & Co Academy – a brand-new programme designed to give students of under-represented ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds the chance to gain new skills, connections and the in-depth knowledge to succeed in a career in law; and • a new mentoring scheme launched by a group of leading chambers and the Planning and Environment Bar Association to encourage undergraduates and postgraduates from under-represented groups to consider becoming barristers. There are also a number of diversity organisations and schemes working to improve access to the profession for aspiring lawyers from under-represented backgrounds, including NOTICED, the InterLaw Diversity Forum and the Law Society Diversity Access Scheme.
Firms work with upReach to “provide opportunities, work experience and
mentoring. For example, to help create a more level playing field for students typically from under-represented backgrounds”. upReach also offers technology tools to firms, including the REALrating contextual recruitment system, which is designed to help firms “better understand the contexts in which candidates have achieved academically”. The end goal is to ensure that everyone has the chance to fulfil their career potential. “We want the profession to be reflective of the society in which it serves,” David explains.
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