A new Law Society practice note will support solicitor firms and sole practitioners in complying with regulatory requirements to collect data on the diversity of their workforce. The requirement from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is for firms to ensure that all employees are given an opportunity to report against their diversity characteristics. Firms will be contacted by the SRA to confirm their numbers of employees and to distribute login details for an anonymous on-line questionnaire, to collect the data. The characteristics to be reported include job status and role as well as age, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic background and caring responsibilities.
The new Law Society practice note sets out the context for the new SRA requirement and its implications for firms and individual members. It also provides guidance on Data Protection issues.
Vice-president of the Law Society, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said:
'The Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter already provides guidance and support on how to collect, monitor, store and publish data. The new requirement will provide for consistent collection of diversity data across the profession, helping practices to review the make up of their workforces and to identify opportunities to develop greater diversity. It also will help the Law Society to meet better the needs of our diverse membership and to promote greater diversity in the profession.'
The SRA data collection will commence shortly, through an online survey. SRA have contracted with employee engagement specialists Surveylab , who will contact authorised signatories within each firm, to provide the number of employees working within the firm. Employees themselves will be invited to complete an anonymous individual online diversity questionnaire.
Notes to Editors
Download the Law Society practice note.
Further information about data protection requirements can be found on the SRA's website. The answers to a number of frequently asked questions are also available.
Further information on the diversity data requirements as laid down in the Legal Services Act is available on the Legal Services Board's website.
The Law Society of England and Wales is the independent representative for solicitors, established in 1825. The Society works globally to support and represent its members, promoting the highest professional standards and the rule of law.
The Law Society has 150,000 individual members and 11,000 member firms operating in domestic and overseas markets and provides a range of products and services for its members.
Contact: Graham Capper, the Law Society
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