Driving diversity

By Robert Heslett, President, Law Society of England and Wales

The legal professions have long been active in ensuring that opportunities are available to all, regardless of background. Solicitors are committed to removing unnecessary obstacles to entry to, and progression through, the profession, and to encouraging people from every part of society to consider a career in the law.

The solicitors’ profession has already proven its commitment to becoming more diverse and bringing in the best talent from all backgrounds. A look at today’s profession reveals that the numbers of women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds coming into it are good overall. The profession has become much more representative of the society it serves. We have also begun a plan of action in response to the recommendations of the Milburn Commission.

The Milburn Report highlighted a number of barriers to social mobility, including aspiration and awareness, education and finance. Many legal practices have recognised these issues and already participate in excellent outreach schemes to encourage young people to consider a career in law. These initiatives are important in not only making the legal profession accessible to all as a career choice, but also in enabling the profession to access a much wider talent pool.

Since 2004, the Law Society has been running the Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), supported by the Law Society Charity, which aims to open up the solicitors’ profession to talented and committed individuals who, without extra financial help, would almost certainly not be able to realise their legal career ambitions.

In addition to the DAS, the Society has launched a Diversity and Inclusion Charter, which provides a framework of commitment to all aspects of diversity. This is a developing initiative, through which signatories work together to develop, share and adopt best practice. Since its launch in July 2009, a total of 89 firms have signed up to the Charter.

The Law Society is also due to launch its Equality and Diversity Standards toolkit, which is designed to help the legal profession successfully promote and implement best practice in equality, diversity and inclusion as an employer, provider of legal services, purchaser of goods and services, and in its wider role in society.

However, while the Charter, Standards, toolkit and DAS, in addition to our ongoing action plan in response to Milburn, will go a long way to boost social mobility in sphere of solicitors, they will not solve all of the problems identified. We may have had a head start in launching these initiatives, but the Society cannot open up the profession to tap into the best talent on its own.

There are efforts across the legal sector that are taking shape and acting on the Milburn recommendations. The Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum Executive Committee steers the work of the forum’s sub-groups in reporting the progress of the legal sector’s response to the Milburn recommendations. The Law Society’s chief executive Desmond Hudson sits on the committee.

To take the DAS as an example, the scheme cannot turn to government grants or some hidden pot of money to provide enough places to those candidates who show immense promise for a legal career. This year, the number of applications to the scheme almost doubled, yet while many of them are able, there will only be a limited number of places available to them. It has to rely on support from the profession and other sectors to make a significant difference. Without it we, the profession, are missing out on reaching the most promising lawyers of tomorrow.

The scheme provides not only financial backing to successful candidates, but also valuable networking, mentoring and work placement opportunities which are vital to make it in what is an increasingly competitive profession. The outlook is clear though: without more support to fund enough places, many will miss out on this very real opportunity to pursue a career in law and the profession will not move forward in its commitment to social mobility.

The government must also do more to support such initiatives instead of creating an academic and vocational learning structure which is so expensive that many very able people are put off from entering the professions.

The current costs of university, followed by LPC fees, can be crippling. Last year, the Society urged those considering a career in law to make sure they were aware of the costs involved before embarking on such a career.

With lower costs and more financial support for initiatives such as the DAS, there could be less concern for the many young people looking to take their first steps in becoming a solicitor.

Our profession wants to drive social mobility and benefit from a greater selection of candidates, but it is going to take a collective effort from all quarters of the profession, government and other parts of the legal sector to make it happen.