Diversity: Diversity

"Be yourself and be confident in your own ability – never try to change yourself to suit other people’s expectations. Always be mindful and eventually people will adjust to you in the same way you’ll adjust to others."

Are law firms elitist?

The Oracle

"I didn’t go to a selective school, but have good A levels and my ambition is to be a City lawyer – what does this mean for my chances?"

Sponsored by

Diversity and inclusion – Q&A with Gowling WLG associate Elvis Tse

Elvis Tse is an associate at Gowling WLG (UK) LLP.

"At university, I had no idea what career to pursue. I studied social sciences and laws so I had a few career choices!"

Age discrimination in law

Am I too old to become a solicitor?

"I’m in my 40s and thinking about retraining as a solicitor, but is there any point? I have heard that recruitment focuses on young graduates."

Career changers: five tips for those switching careers to the legal profession

If you’re serious about moving into the legal profession, read our five tips to help you get started.

Retired workers returning to the workforce - beware age discrimination in the workplace

It’s important that policies and employees are up to date around age discrimination.

Videos

See more videos

PRACTICE AREA PROFILE: IP | Ellen Lambrix - Bristows

Meet the Lawyer | Ugo Ebhogiaye - Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Firm insights

Find out about firms' diversity and inclusion initiatives straight from recruiters and practising lawyers

Meet the Lawyer

Lola Adekoya

Lola Adekoya opens up about her long road to qualification, her role as an associate in Mayer Brown International LLP’s banking and finance group, and more in this Meet the Lawyer.

Meet the Lawyer

Ayman Shehata

Ayman Shehata is proof that not all successful careers as a solicitor are linear. He explains how he secured his training contract after university, the exciting work he does in corporate law and what makes Charles Russell Speechlys LLP stand out.

Meet the Lawyer

Maddie Cubbon

Associate Maddie Cubbon joined Ropes & Gray four years ago. In this profile she speaks about her unusual journey to becoming a solicitor, her recent client secondment and what makes Ropes & Gray an inclusive firm.

Disability inclusion

Is tying bonuses to office attendance truly inclusive?

Is the remote working movement really coming to an end? Some of the biggest firms in the country and the world appear to have answered that question.

Removing barriers for ADHD lawyers

Read this LCN Says on equal opportunities for ADHD lawyers

How to find the right law firm for your career and disability

Read advice from Demi Rixon.

What is neurodiversity at work?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural diversity of the wiring of the human brain (how people process information differently).

How accessible is the legal profession for lawyers with disabilities?

"Should I disclose my disability when I apply for a vacation scheme? Are careers in the legal profession accessible for candidates with disabilities?"

LCN Says

Ian Bagshaw - How socially mobile students can break into BigLaw

Ian Bagshaw

I think the combination of mentors, confidence and consistent hard work is what drove me to the pinnacle of BigLaw. So, to all aspiring socially mobile lawyers, here are my top pieces of advice to succeed in BigLaw.

How to be a disability ally

The Abled Lawyer

There’s so much power an individual possesses when it comes to creating cultural change for better disability inclusion.

LCN Says

Phil Steventon - How firms can better support neurodiverse employees in the workplace and during recruitment processes

Phil Steventon

Neurodivergent lawyers have a number of unique strengths, abilities and perspectives that can benefit any employer and workplace.

Recent podcasts

Episode 38: life as an LGBTQ+ lawyer - with Danni Davies and Michael Tushingham

In this episode we speak to real estate lawyer Danni Davies (they/them) from Latham & Watkins and tax associate Michael Tushingham (he/him) from Gowling WLG (UK) LLP about life as an LGBTQ+ lawyer.

Episode 32: neurodiversity and the legal profession – with Phil Steventon

Phil Steventon from The Neurodivergent Lawyer blog shares his experiences and insight into neurodiversity, including how it might impact people’s journey to becoming a lawyer.

Episode 30: diversity and inclusion in the legal profession - with Gowling WLG

In this episode, we speak to Emma Dennis, diversity and Inclusion manager at international law firm Gowling WLG (UK) LLP.

Sponsored by

Diversity and inclusion: Q&A with Gowling WLG’s Greg Standing

Head of enterprise risk management, Greg shares his experience at Gowling after losing his hearing and being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Sponsored by

Disability and inclusion: Q&A with Gowling WLG’s Simon Stephen

Simon Stephen, legal director at Gowling, opens up about how being honest about his mental health over the years has made for a better working environment.

Sponsored by

Disability and inclusion: Q&A with Gowling WLG’s Vivienne Reeve

Vivienne Reeve opens up about the two conditions she has been diagnosed with and how she continues to do the job she loves thanks to her supportive team and firm.

LGBTQ+ representation in the legal profession

How do I ensure I’m practising allyship towards the LGBTQ+ community?

"I’ve recently seen the term LGBTQ+ ally, but what is it and how can I be an authentic ally?"

LGBTQ+ History Month: queer history through legislation

Let’s look at the laws that have landed us where we are today.

Being proud and queer in the legal profession with Anna Casey-Woodward and Bridget Garrood

Diversity and inclusion is at the forefront of most firms. But how can you tell which firms are truly inclusive and supportive?

Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform Bill

What’s Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill?

News

Chief executive of LSB calls for more diversity at partnership level

Chief executive of the Legal Services Board (LSB), Matthew Hill, talked about diversity during a plenary session at the Law Society’s Junior Solicitors Network summit, stating that diversity at partnership level at the biggest law firms “ought to be a national scandal”.

News

Applications to Clyde & Co’s paralegal academy surpass expectations

Clyde & Co LLP’s paralegal academy received more than 1,000 applications, far surpassing the firm’s target of 300.

News

BARBRI launches new six-week course to make SQE more accessible

Legal education provider BARBRI has announced the launch of a new six-week course that’s been designed to improve access to the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) for “those from all backgrounds”.

News

Latest SQE2 results: attainment gaps remains

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published the results for the April/May 2023 sitting of SQE2, revealing an overall pass rate of 77%, matching the results from April 2022 and up 6% from October 2022’s results.

Women in law

Belonging at the Bar: women’s journey from barriers to barristers

We’re no strangers to women in the courtroom on TV but very few (if any) programmes express the difficulty women have faced getting to this point.

The women who changed the legal industry

Women have been vying for their place within the legal profession for well over 100 years.

Celebrating 100 years of women solicitors – the drive towards equality and diversity in law

December 2022 marked the centenary of the first woman to be admitted to the Law Society as a solicitor.

Covid-19 and the growing gender pay gap

In the 21st Century ‘modern world’ that we live in, it’s alarming that women, and other minority groups, are still facing gender pay discrimination.

Balancing being a mother and a solicitor

Monica reflects on her experiences of juggling motherhood and a career as a solicitor.

Race, religion and belief

Six legal books by Black authors to entertain, fascinate and inspire you

Katherine Bryant (she/her)

Since the 1960s, a whole wealth of legal writing has been produced by Black authors.

Black candidates share legal recruitment experiences

Katherine Bryant (she/her)

Structural inequality and a lack of representation at senior levels mean that Black candidates continue to face additional barriers to becoming lawyers.

Drinking culture, religion and networking opportunities

The Oracle

"I want to network with my colleagues but I don’t want to drink alcohol – what do I do?"