Recruitment: publication for referring work to ethnic minority lawyers to appear on-line

Law firms that have no ethnic minority lawyers should be prepared to face questions over their recruitment, a former solicitor who is about to launch a directory warned this week.


Debo Nwauzu confirmed that the directory, which is intended as a tool for referring work to ethnic minority lawyers, will be published on-line this summer (see [2004] Gazette, 16 September, 5).


Ms Nwauzu said she had received particular support for the project from solicitors in local government who maintained it would be a good way of ensuring the diversity of the law firms they instruct. City firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary is also backing the project.


Ethnic minority solicitors, barristers and legal academics in private practice, local government and the voluntary and education sectors will be able to submit their names free of charge to the directory. The directory will list the individual ethnic minority lawyers by firm.


Ms Nwauzu said: 'If a law firm does not appear, that will beg the question why not. The directory will also help for referrals between the black community. '


She added: 'We will be highlighting black or ethnic minority QCs, law lecturers or partners every month to inspire young people and show them that the sky is the limit.'


Gifty Edila, director of law and administration at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and president of the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors, added: 'This directory will play a key role in ensuring diversity in all our areas of legal work. From training and recruiting staff to instructing external solicitors and barristers, the directory will be invaluable in determining how many black and ethnic minority lawyers have been given equal access.'


Link: www.blacklawyersdirectory.com