Profession is under attack for not acting on race issue

ETHNIC MINORITIES: Group chairman slams the 'single dimension' policy

The legal profession received a stinging rebuke this week from a prominent black solicitor who said that after a decade lawyers were still failing to allow those from ethnic backgrounds to enter practice.

Speaking at the annual conference of the African Caribbean and Asian Lawyers Group (ACA) last week, the group's chairman, Dele Ogun, said the legal profession in the UK was operating on a 'single dimension' where 'those on the inside must agree to open the door to let [minority lawyers] in'.

Mr Ogun said: 'A system which hinges on access to the legal profession being granted by those on the inside cannot work in today's multi-cultural society.'

He levelled criticism at the providers of legal education.

'Although institutions make money from people wishing to enroll they take no responsibility to provide practical opportunities for those they have certified to practice.

Taking the benefit, without responsibility, surely cannot continue,' he said.

The ACA chairman pointed to the US system where he said those with a legal education were not held back from practice.

'If you emerge from law school, if Wall Street want you they take you, if not, you can set up on your own.

That is a multi-cultural society where opportunity is multi-dimensional,' he said.

Speaking at the same conference, the minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, solicitor Keith Vaz, said the UK had 'a great deal' to teach other countries about the way they dealt with diversity issues.

'[The government] still have a long way to go, but we are extremely optimistic about the future for black and Asian Britons,' he said.

However, he expressed concern that lawyers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada seemed to find it easier than minority lawyers to find work in the UK.

The Law Society's equal opportunities officer, Jerry Garvey, said with more minority students studying law it was important that they became involved in organisations such as the ACA 'to make the Law Society, Bar Council and government listen.'

Sue Allen