Discrimination: 'gross under-reporting' as solicitors do not want to damage career prospects

Figures released this week show that solicitors would rather 'suffer in silence' than report claims of race and sex discrimination, a leading lawyer claimed this week.


Caroline Herbert, chairwoman of the Law Society's equality and diversity committee, said there was a 'gross under-reporting' of discrimination within firms.


According to the Law Society's first equality and diversity annual report, there were 24 complaints of racial discrimination against solicitors in 2004, and 21 complaints of sex discrimination. Five people claimed to have been discriminated against on grounds of religious belief, and seven on the basis of disability.


Ms Herbert said: 'This is a gross underestimation of the true figure. When I managed the Trainee Solicitors Group helpline [in the late 1990s] we had many reports of discrimination and harassment on grounds of race and gender.


'Discrimination is going on in law firms, but complaints are not being brought. There is a lack of publicity and awareness, and a lack of real conviction that anything will be done. People don't want their career prospects to be tainted or damaged in any way. They would rather suffer in silence, and move to a different firm, or move in-house.'


A Law Society spokeswoman said: 'While the number of complaints is low, this is not an area for complacency. The figures may not reflect the true number of people who feel they have been discriminated against, as some individuals may not complain because of fears that it may jeopardise their career. However, we hope that the low figures also reflect that firms are successfully dealing with these matters internally'.


Alison Stanley, Law Society Council member for the Association of Women Solicitors, added: 'People can be reluctant to bring claims, especially in provincial towns, because they know that firms will talk to each other [and they could be blacklisted].


'The number of employment claims brought by solicitors is growing, but they are often subject to a gagging order. They do not then make a complaint to the Law Society, because they want to get on with their lives.'


The report highlighted various developments in promoting diversity, such as the revised anti-discrimination rule and Solicitors Race Equality Awards.