Law firms should stop relying on A-Level grades and use broader recruitment techniques if they are to stay successful, top lawyers in the diversity field said at a seminar hosted by City firm Reed Smith last week.

DLA employment partner Makbool Javaid, former chairman of the Society of Black Lawyers, said that a diverse workforce is crucial to a lawyer's changing role.

He said: 'As lawyers get closer to the business world, they need to provide more innovative solutions, and they need people from different backgrounds with a range of skills.

Unless we recruit the right type of people, a lot of law firms will go out of business.'

He added: 'We need to be looking at psychometric tests and other methods of validation, and we need to make sure that people on interview panels have training and are aware of cultural differences.'

Julie Swan, head of education and training at the Law Society, said: 'City firms have a very strong focus on A-Level grades.

I continue to be shocked at some firms that have an on-line application process, and the applicant cannot even complete the on-line form unless they put in a certain number of UCAS points [gained from A-Levels].'

Rachel Rothwell