The solicitors race equality awards will trumpet those firms that have embraced equality and diversity as their touchstones, says Edward Nally


In the past few years, we have begun to see reflected in the legal profession the diversity that characterises the society that it serves. That must be right.


How can a modern profession serve clients well unless it understands and reflects their needs? The proportion of practising solicitors from minority backgrounds has now risen to match that of the national population – and in 2003 more than half of new solicitors were women.


With positive statistics like these, you might think that the continued promotion of equality and diversity is a little unnecessary now that things are improving. If only that were the case; the reality, as many of you will know, is far different.


The sad fact is that more than a quarter of a century after the introduction of anti-discrimination legislation, prejudice in many forms still permeates every aspect of our lives.


For some, being committed to equality and having respect for diversity is simply not a priority. In a modern democratic society, this is totally unacceptable and it is a view that has no place in our profession.


I am pleased that many solicitors do appear to be listening to our message about the benefits of equality and diversity, but we want to see even more putting it in to action. We want to see more firms demonstrating a commitment to overcoming inequalities, to making our profession more inclusive and to communicating better with all of our clients. To do this, and to do it well, firms must build equality and diversity into every aspect of their professional work.


The Law Society is helping firms to do this through a number of initiatives aimed at promoting and improving equality and diversity practice within the profession, one of which is the Solicitors Race Equality Awards.


Many members of the profession have already discovered that promoting equality and diversity can bring tangible benefits to their businesses in terms of recruitment, in the retention of staff, and in improvements in the way services are delivered to local communities.


To recognise the positive work being undertaken by these firms to promote equality and diversity, the Law Society, in partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality, launched the inaugural Solicitors Race Equality Awards.



The awards will celebrate the growing number of law firms engaging with their local communities and promoting best practice in recruitment and employment. Awards will be given to ‘Best Employer’, ‘Best Service Provider’ and ‘Best Legal Team’, and will be presented at a ceremony in May. To find out more about this important scheme or to nominate an exceptional firm, entry forms can be downloaded from www.lawsociety.org.uk, or alternatively e-mail: hilary.wight@lawsociety.org.uk for more information.



The scheme is open to all firms, in-house legal departments and to the not-for-profit sector. The closing date is 28 February 2005.


This is a chance to show the profession that the potential to improve is immense with just a few simple changes and the right approach. I encourage you to get involved.



Turning to the Law Society’s revised anti-discrimination rule, which came into effect in September 2004, we sent a CD providing practical information and guidance to all firms and in-house legal departments in December to help solicitors to comply with the new rule and with the latest discrimination legislation. Additional copies of the CD can be obtained from the Law Society by e-mailing diversity.enquries@lawsociety.org.uk.



I have no doubt that you will find the information extremely helpful and I encourage you to make good use of it. The guidance will continuously be updated and revised on the Law Society’s Web site, in the Gazette and in written guidance.



For some budding solicitors, getting a foothold in the legal profession can be a difficult, if not impossible, task. To help talented individuals to overcome barriers preventing them from qualifying such as disability, or social, educational or financial circumstances, the Law Society launched a diversity access scheme in 2003 aimed at providing scholarships, job placements and mentors to aspiring solicitors.


In September 2004, we made our first awards to 14 exceptional law students. The scheme is undoubtedly one of the most positive initiatives ever undertaken by the Law Society – but for it to succeed it needs the support of the profession. It is worth remembering that the future of the solicitors’ profession and its ability to reflect the diverse society it serves rests largely on its ability to attract talented individuals from the widest possible range of backgrounds. The diversity access scheme will help us to do just that.


I have focused on just three of the important initiatives the Law Society is involved in to promote equality and diversity within the profession. And even though some very positive steps have already been taken, there is still some way to go.


As this programme is ongoing, I hope that the Society and the profession will continue to work in partnership to ensure that a fair and equitable working environment is achieved, both for solicitors and for their clients.


Edward Nally is the Law Society President