One of the country’s leading firms has explicitly reaffirmed its commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion.
Some firms have been less vocal about their desire to create a more diverse profession, particularly since the assault on equality policies by Donald Trump’s administration in the US.
But City firm Mishcon De Reya has made clear it will retain detailed and wide-ranging targets for wider representation of minority groups in the firm.
In its annual review, published this month, the firm said: ‘At a time where equity and diversity practices are being scaled back, we stand firm in our commitment to drive inclusion at every level of our business and to foster a culture that thrives on diversity – this has always been, and continues to be, part of our core values.
‘We are proud of what we have achieved, but there is always more we can do to consciously and intentionally foster diversity and inclusion.’
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Managing partner James Libson added: ‘It should not, in 2025, be something we even draw attention to, but it feels important to reaffirm our position when the [diversity and inclusion] principles are under such assault.’
To help drive change, Mishcons has set out targets for gender, ethnicity and social background that it would ‘aspire to reach’ by April 2027. It also committed to reporting annually on progress.
At least 35% of senior equity partners should be women (currently 28%) and at least 45% of the partnership (currently 38%). The proportion of women partners in each department should also be reflective of the overall partnership by 2030.
The firm is targeting that at least 20% of UK partners will identify as minority ethnic (currently 16%) and at least 25% of lawyers (currently 18%). At least 55% of trainee and solicitor apprenticeship applications should be submitted by candidates who identify as minority ethnic (currently 57%), with at least 40% of applications from people from socially and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds (currently 30%).
The targets were set out in a report which also revealed positive financial results for the year ended 31 March, with profit up by 14% to £110m and revenue increasing by 9% to £330m. The firm now employs 1,450 people, including 689 lawyers.
