A Law Society scheme that aims to improve social mobility in the legal profession is to double the number of candidates it takes on next year.

The Diversity Access Scheme (DAS) supports entrants to the solicitors' profession who face exceptional social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualification.

This year 20 candidates were offered work experience and mentoring, as well as scholarships to help fund their Legal Practice Courses (LPC). Next year, following a steep rise in applications, the Law Society charity and other DAS sponsors will increase the number of available places to 40. There will be 50 places the following year.

Law Society president Linda Lee said: ‘Increasing social mobility in the legal profession is high on our agenda and schemes such as DAS will ensure that it happens. The scheme enables the profession to engage with a new talent pool and become more reflective of the society we serve.’

Sandie Okoro, Baring Asset Management general counsel and DAS ambassador, said: ‘Many people have the potential to become exceptional lawyers but, for a range of factors, are unable to pursue their goal. Initiatives such as DAS are important if the profession is to continue recruiting a diverse range of skilled practitioners.’

Law Society charity chairman Nigel Dodds said the charity was proud to support such an important initiative. ‘Central to the scheme is the ethos that obstacles which prevent promising legal minds from flourishing are removed.

The more funds the charity can attract for this cause the more it can do,’ he said.

In addition to the Law Society charity, the key sponsors of DAS are petroleum company BP, and law firms Allen & Overy, Mills & Reeve, Reed Smith, Eversheds, Mayer Brown and Weightmans. The LPC providers are BPP Law School, the College of Law, Nottingham Law School at Nottingham Trent University, University of Plymouth Law School, University of Westminster School of Law, University of Wolverhampton School of Law, De Montfort University School of Law and Swansea University.

For more details on the scheme go to the Law Society website.