Embracing variety

David McIntosh calls on ethnic minority solicitors to air their views at a diversity forum

Our society is increasingly multi-cultural, and this needs to be reflected in the composition of our legal profession.

It is vitally important to society as a whole that talented people from all backgrounds are not deterred from entering the law.

In my role as Law Society President, I have taken on the responsibility of championing diversity issues.

This means striving to improve diversity in terms of gender, race, age, disability and sexual orientation.Some progress has already been made.

During the last decade, the number of ethnic minority solicitors grew by a staggering 430% - from 1,143 in 1990 to 6,062 in 2000.

This compares with a 52% growth in all solicitors holding a practising certificate.

Therefore, ethnic minority solicitors are an increasingly significant part of the solicitors' profession, making an important contribution to the overall delivery of a wide range of legal services.

They are well represented in small firms and the employed sector, both public and private, and often work with the most disadvantaged communities.

Through legally aided work, they play an important part in securing access to justice.There are encouraging signs that large corporate firms are beginning to tap into the growing pool of ethnic minority talent more consistently.

The firms undertaking international work are starting to appreciate more fully that ethnic minority solicitors bring a unique and valuable perspective to this work.

To quote the ethnic minority students page of the University of Westminster's Web site: 'Cultural diversity is a strength, an asset, and increasingly a necessity in an environment of global markets and increased competition.'Many of the larger City law firms, often in collaboration with specialist ethnic minority groups, participate in access schemes aimed at ensuring ethnic minority talent is not overlooked.This is a shrewd move, since firms have to attract the best talent to stay ahead of rivals.

Law is one of the most popular subjects for minority students.

The loss suffered by one firm through refusing to open the door to promising minority students will be the gain of another.Specialist minority groups include the Society of Black Lawyers, the Society of Asian Lawyers, and the African, Caribbean and Asian Lawyers Group.The Society is delighted by growth and diversity in the solicitors' profession.

However, there is no room for complacency and much remains to be done.

The collective challenge for the Society and the legal profession is to create a working environment in which all ethnic minority solicitors are able to use their skills in areas of practice of their choosing.

This will involve breaking down barriers.

Too often it is the case that ethnic minority solicitors feel limited in the scope of work available to them.As the profession becomes increasingly diverse, the Society aims to do more to help each and every part of it.

Recent reforms at the Society have resulted in a council that is much more representative of the profession than ever before.

The council now benefits from the expertise of several specialist interest groups and five new lay members, who come from varied professional and ethnic backgrounds and add valuable insight into its decision-making process.

The newly established corporate governance structures are designed to enhance accountability and offer ample scope for members of the profession to get involved in the running of the Society's business.The council has also made a promising start by increasing the number of seats for members with special responsibility for representing the interests of ethnic minority solicitors, trainees, and legal practice course (LPC) and common professional examination (CPE) students.The Society is committed to working towards a solicitors' profession that is inclusive.

At the end of last year, the council voted that one of the ten key objectives of the Society should be to 'reinforce the Society's role as a promoter of equal opportunities and diversity within the profession'.

This month, the council will be asked to approve a document outlining an equality and diversity framework.

It will set out a detailed plan for how the Society can not only meet its statutory responsibilities under discrimination legislation, but will go further in preparing the Society to become a model exponent of equality of opportunity.

As a champion of equality and diversity, I am always keen to hear the views of ethnic minority solicitors.

On 17 January, Maria Fernandes, the council member for ethnic minority interests, and I are hosting a diversity forum.

The purpose is to ascertain the views of ethnic minority solicitors, trainees, and CPE/LPC students on how the Society can become a more effective advocate of their interests.

I hope that ethnic minority solicitors will attend in force to participate in what should be a fascinating debate.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible and to getting your direct input into the major objective of making the solicitors' profession a truly inclusive one.

l Details of the diversity forum are available from Beaulah Powell on 020 7316 5756.David McIntosh is the Law Society President