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Time to pick up the pace on social mobility?

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Pauline Campbell questions the rate of progress on diversity & access across the legal profession
  • 1% of partners within legal firms are black—are perceptions standing in the way of progress?
  • Despite innovative practices, top legal firms in the UK are losing out on talented candidates due to a hesitancy to embrace change.

As a nominee for Legal Personality of the Year at the LexisNexis Legal Awards last year, I was delighted to attend the prestigious awards ceremony. Looking out at the sea of white faces, so different to my dark brown skin, however, I could not help feeling disheartened that the profession I love still has so far to go to address its lack of diversity.

The solicitor view

Law firms are taking action. To give just two examples, Browne Jacobson has developed its FAIRE (Fairer Access Into Legal Careers) programme to inspire others to help break down barriers, while Clifford Chance works with graduate recruitment diversity specialist RARE to reach high-potential candidates

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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