The Breaking Down Barriers to Law project has recently been launched by Chair of the Purpose Coalition and Former Education Secretary, Rt Hon Justine Greening.
In a sector where only 38.3% of partners and 40% of lawyers attended state school, despite the fact that 93% of the UK population attended non fee paying schools, the project will look at how social mobility in the legal profession can be improved across the country, with a focus on regional firms and the key role they play.
“This is a big moment for the sector and, building on my time as Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, I am very excited to now be launching Breaking Down Barriers to Law. Together we will be looking at how the legal sector can do more to proactively engage with those from underrepresented backgrounds and boost social mobility”
RT HON JUSTINE GREENING, CHAIR PURPOSE COALITION
The law sector is still seen as a profession for those who went to the right schools and universities and who have friends or family who can give them a helping hand to get in and get on.
Many people don’t have the information or advice that will inspire and guide them towards the right educational choices and experiences at school.
Those that study law at university are often hampered by their own lack of confidence in being able to access placements in successful law firms. The challenges within the sector also don’t cease upon entry into the profession, with many lawyers left struggling with firm culture and facing barriers to progression that prevent them from achieving their full potential.
There are still too many who find themselves outside the mainstream and who have to fight all the harder to get the same opportunities as others.
Even in 2023, differences of gender, race, age, disability, religion and sexual orientation can block opportunity. That can also apply to those whose life experiences have marked them as different – for example, those in the care system, former offenders and those with caring responsibilities.
There’s no lack of talent in any of these communities but they have to work a lot harder for it to be recognised. Many never get the chance. They lose out personally and financially but the loss is also felt by businesses and our local and national economies who miss out on the talent that could help them thrive.
Our successful original project, Levelling Up Law, led to the development of our talent platform - MYPURPOSGOALS
The platform connects students from non-Russell Group universities to companies in our Purpose coalition and allows them to align with business that share their values. The project also identified that measurement and evaluation are key to progress and helped inform out work on socio-economic diversity measurement and targets.
This new initiative is a fantastic chance for regional law firms to contribute to shaping the future by developing a more strategic, country-wide approach to embedding opportunity.
Encouraging a talent pool that more closely reflects the communities they work in will pay dividends not only for the individuals who can change their lives by accessing opportunity but also for the law sector with a more diverse and inclusive workforce contributing to innovative and profitable businesses.
