Delivering equality and diversity

Promoting diversity and inclusion

We have an important responsibility to represent every member of the profession, and to support the profession in its efforts to reflect the society it serves and achieve an approach to inclusion that meets the expectations of solicitors and their clients today.

New Diversity and Inclusion Charter

Launched in 2009, the Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter is the flagship diversity initiative of the legal profession. It is an instantly recognisable public statement of commitment by its signatories and a framework for positive action across all strands of diversity. Providers of legal services signing up to the Charter commit to developing and implementing best practice in equality, diversity and inclusion - as employers, as providers of legal services, as purchasers of goods and services and in their wider roles in society. The number of signatories to the Charter has doubled since its launch and now stands at 113.

Protocols

We launched two protocols. One, on the procurement of legal services, is a commitment by purchasers of legal services to collecting and considering standard diversity information from any law firms tendering for legal work using a model questionnaire. There are now 31 clients working as procurement partners. The second protocol, on equality monitoring, was developed to support legal services by creating a professionwide standard for collecting and reporting monitoring data.

Equality and diversity Standards and Toolkit launched

Practices signed up to the Charter commitments can take advantage of the support available from the Law Society. In April 2010 we launched a set of Standards and a Toolkit, developed in close consultation with the profession, that is structured to help practices of every type and size to get started, set business priorities and assess achievements. The Standards are the framework by which Charter signatories annually review their progress.

Diversity and inclusion conference 2010

The Progressing Diversity conference attracted 60 representatives from law practices to its line up of expert speakers and workshop facilitators.

Stonewall Workplace Equality Index

During 2009 we climbed 151 places in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and made it into the legal sector top 10. We continue to support Interlaw - a network of networks and a model we want to pursue for other groups.

BME Forum

The BME Forum, comprising representatives from ethnic minority lawyer groups, met frequently to raise, discuss and support key activities, such as consultation on the assigned risks pool and the review of the PII process.

Shaping future policy

We held a workshop to encourage black and minority ethnic solicitors to consider taking an active role in influencing Law Society policy through membership of the Law Society Council or committees.

Scholarships support diversity

We awarded twelve full legal practice course scholarships through our Diversity Access Scheme to exceptional students facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualification as a solicitor.

International Women's Day

We celebrated with an event that included four roundtable discussions. Experienced women lawyers came together to identify the barriers that contribute to the under-representation of women in partnership in the profession. Their insight has contributed to our ongoing work with firms.