Accessing the profession: the value of diversity
We invited two of our new social mobility ambassadors and an awardee of our Diversity Access Scheme to discuss the value of diverse routes to reaching a career in law.
The speakers explore:
- how having options allows for a more diverse representative and better profession
- why inclusion, and culture changes, are necessary to furthering both diversity and equality
They also share advice they would have given to their younger selves and to prospective solicitors.
Speakers
Sam Butler
Sam is a social mobility ambassador for the Law Society, serving a two-year term. Having trained and qualified as an employment solicitor at international law firm DLA Piper, Sam moved in-house to the legal team of the University of Manchester.
Before entering law, Sam studied a history degree and was twice elected president of his student union. He studied his GDL and MSc in business, law and management at the University of Law in Bristol.
Sam has continued to contribute to the higher education sector, sitting on boards and committees for the University of Law, NUS Services Limited, and the University of Liverpool.
Kayleigh Arthurs
Kayleigh is an awardee of the Diversity Access Scheme and is currently a trainee solicitor at GA Solicitors.
She graduated with a law degree in 2010 at Exeter University. She completed her LPC part-time on Saturdays between 2016 and 2018 at BPP Bristol. Kayleigh started her training contract in January 2019 and has recently qualified into employment.
Shaheen Mamun
Shaheen Mamun has a growing reputation in the legal profession as an award winning solicitor who has an interest in the increasingly complex interrelationship between civil, commercial and public law.
As a co-founder and director at Black Antelope Law, Shaheen heads the day-to-day running of the organisation’s financial administration, with a primary focus on:
- maintaining quality mark standards
- legal, regulatory and data protection compliance
- risk management
- performance
- marketing
- brand management
He provides training, development, and support to ensure that the organisation’s strategic objectives are met, and that the quality of services being offered is second to none. His experiences have been shared In the Manager’s Chair by our Law Management Section and in My legal life by the Law Society Gazette.
Related resources
How your organisation can support the Diversity Access Scheme