Freshfields’ £10k bursary for underprivileged students

A magic circle firm is to offer students from less privileged backgrounds an annual bursary of £10,000 to finance their law degree studies.

The scheme, which follows coalition social mobility adviser Alan Milburn’s calls for higher education to take greater account of candidates’ social backgrounds, will include eight weeks’ paid work experience at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and could lead to a training contract and a grant to cover the full cost of the legal practice course.

Freshfields has agreed with University College London (UCL) jointly to provide two scholarships a year to students from socially and economically less privileged backgrounds. In addition to a £10,000 bursary from Freshfields, students will be eligible for a UCL bursary worth up to £3,500 a year. Mentoring support will also be provided.

Freshfields senior partner Will Lawes said: ‘Whether the profession likes it or not, City law firms are seen as too remote and closed to many students and families from less privileged backgrounds. This joint bursary scheme with UCL demonstrates Freshfields’ commitment to making social mobility a reality’.

Milburn is due to publish three more reports soon, including one focused on the role of higher education and the extent to which admissions policies should take account of applicants' backgrounds.

• See our feature on work experience.