
29 Mar The Law Society of England and Wales Launches a Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
On 28 September 2022, the Law Society of England and Wales launched a diversity and inclusion framework meant to serve as a guide for firms to develop and implement strategic approaches to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This initiative was developed in response to the myriad of firms urgently diversifying without proper planning, resulting in short-lived and under-resourced diversity programs.
While statistics reported by the Law Society in 2021 do show a slight improvement with increasing diversity in the legal profession, the new initiative is meant to streamline the process of diversification with more lasting results. The D&I framework lays out a three-step action plan that is meant to “help workplaces to identify their own rationale for taking action, set goals based on evidence from their organization, and ensure the change they’re seeking lasts.” This initiative taken by the Law Society of England and Wales is a key step in having the legal sector reflect the diversity of the communities in which they operate. Having a well-planned D&I framework will provide firms with a wider variety of perspectives, allowing them to reach better decisions and find more innovative solutions in the workplace.
Considering the D&I initiative, we can expect the legal market to make opportunities more accessible to minority groups with an interest in practicing law. With the issue of diversity representing categories like gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and social mobility, some UK firms are excelling in certain areas over others.
Here are the current leading firms in each area of diversity:-
Ethnicity: White & Case, Morrison & Foerster, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Gender: Withers, Irwin Mitchell, Ropes & Gray
Sexual Orientation: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Shearman & Sterling
Disability: Mills & Reeve, Travers Smith and RPC
Social Mobility: Mills & Reeve, DAC Beachcroft, Charles Russell Speechlys
Ultimately, we are hoping the subsequent evolution to future legal staffing in light of the D&I framework will aid in the continued growth and value of the UK’s legal sector. Today, the legal market continues to thrive, making now a better time than ever to take part in the diversifying field.
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