Seven ways to get involved in meaningful activism during Pride Month and beyond

Meaningful activism means taking practical, consistent actions to support LGBTQ+ equality – not just showing visible support in June. For aspiring solicitors, this can include: advocating for inclusive policies; supporting LGBTQ+ networks; getting involved in pro bono or mentoring; and using your position to influence change in the legal workplace.

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While Pride Month is often marked by parades and vibrant displays of identity, it's important to remember that its origins lie in protest. The Stonewall Riots of 1969 were a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history, sparking a global movement for equality and justice. The first Pride parade, held a year later, was a march for rights, recognition and respect. Today, Pride remains a powerful symbol of visibility and resistance. Despite the progress we've made since the 60s, challenges persist. In fact, nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ employees in the UK still feel the need to hide their identity at work, according to research by charity Stonewall – a stark reminder that activism remains as important as ever. This raises the question: how can we take part in meaningful action that goes beyond symbolic gestures and genuinely supports the LGBTQ+ community?

Why does activism matter in the legal profession?

If you’re at the start of your legal career, you’re on the way to becoming part of a profession that plays a key role in shaping policy, protecting rights and influencing workplace culture. This means your actions, even as a student or trainee solicitor, can have a real impact. To gain insight into the tangible actions aspiring lawyers can take, I spoke to the LGBTQ+ employee resource group at LawCareers.Net’s parent company, PRIDE @ Centellic.

Read on for seven practical, real-world ways to get involved in meaningful activism, whether you’re at university, applying for training contracts or already working in a law firm.

For the latest news and updates on the actions being taken to improve diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, check out our Diversity in law hub.

How can you support an LGBTQ+ network at university or in a law firm?

Showing up consistently to LGBTQ+ networks is one of the simplest and most effective ways to practice meaningful allyship.

Most universities and law firms have LGBTQ+ societies/resource groups/networks – groups that organise events throughout the year to raise awareness and celebrate progress, especially during LGBTQ+ History Month and Pride Month.

The first step to being a good ally is to show up – this could look like:

• attending events and engaging with educational material;
• listening actively to lived experiences
• joining the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network to benefit from training, educational newsletters and valuable networking opportunities; and
• demonstrating a willingness to learn.

As well as feeling the benefits of being part of a community, joining your network is an even better way to make a tangible difference. PRIDE @ Centellic mirrors this sentiment: “Our Employee Resource Group offers a safe space for employees to voice their opinions/concerns and find community with like-minded people throughout the organisation.”

If your university or firm doesn’t have an LGBTQ+ network, you could do some research into starting one and building a community from the ground up.

What events can you organise to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion?

Running inclusive events helps to:

• raise awareness;
• build community; and
• generate tangible support for LGBTQ+ causes.

If you’re looking for ways to get involved, you could:

• identify whether there are any new events you can run to drive engagement and change, and to spread awareness;
• collaborate with existing networks or student societies;
• choose events that combine education with engagement; and
• link events to charitable causes where possible.

For example, in November 2025, PRIDE @ Centellic ran a Karaoke event at Centellic’s London office to raise money for akt, a charity that supports homeless women and LGBTQ+ people across the UK.

Explaining why it chose to support the organisation, PRIDE @ Centellic says: “To this day, 24% of young homeless people ages 16 to 25 identify as being LGBTQ+. With LGBTQ+ hate crimes currently on the rise in the UK, LGBTQ+ young people are at risk of experiencing homophobic and transphobic abuse in their homes. This leaves them with an increased chance of facing homelessness. akt has found that 50% of the young people they supported between 2023 and 2024 had attempted to contact their local authority for support before reaching out. Many had negative experiences when doing so, often facing long waiting lists and expressing feelings of being devalued and dismissed.”

“akt believes that no young person should be made homeless because of who they are and so do PRIDE @ Centellic. The event was a roaring success of amazing vocals, confidence and real community support for all of our colleagues.”

PRIDE @ Centellic also highlights the wider value of events like this: “The key benefit is getting together with colleagues and focusing not only on celebrating who we are, but also thinking about the adversities that the community face. This drives a real social impact beyond the office by fundraising, as well as strengthening community and allyship in the office. We want to raise awareness and educate colleagues, and events help to pull this focus. We personally also find that this boosts engagement, wellbeing and morale and permits colleagues to meet like-minded peers across the business.”

By bringing people together across different identities and experiences, these events help to foster understanding and momentum for broader initiatives. This naturally leads into the next step…

How can you push for LGBTQ+ policy and cultural change in the workplace or at university?

Advocating for inclusive policies and everyday behaviours helps to create lasting change in legal workplaces.

If you're part of a network, you’re in a strong position to advocate for meaningful change. For example, PRIDE @ Centellic’s core aims include:

• normalising non-gendered language;
• supporting local LGBTQ+ causes;
• hosting educational events; and
• recruiting active members, of employees, as Pride champions to promote awareness and provide guidance within the organisation (at Centellic, Pride champions are also available as confidants to anyone who wishes to discuss something themselves or a friend is going through).

Alongside this, the resource group plays a role in driving Centellic’s external social impact by choosing local LGBTQ+ causes to support.

There’s several ways you can push for policy and cultural change:

• Review your organisation’s or university’s internal policies – are they inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations?
• Suggest improvements to language, benefits or protections.
• Encourage participation in diversity training. While every law firm will be at a different stage, networks can help to promote participation in existing training or advocate for new, more inclusive programmes. As an individual, you can encourage your team to engage with these resources to foster a more inclusive culture.

Beyond policy, embedding inclusion into the everyday culture of a firm is key to long-term change.

How does mentoring support LGBTQ+ inclusion in law?

Mentorship programmes help to build confidence, share lived experiences and create pathways into the profession.

You could:

• join a mentorship programme – whether at your university, firm or through an external organisation;
• launch a mentoring programme if there’s a in scope at your university or organisation; and
• explore reverse mentoring opportunities – a model that sees junior staff mentor senior leaders to share lived experiences, which helps to
  • foster empathy;
  • improve education; and
  • encourage change from the ground up.

The more traditional mentoring structure also remains a useful tool, with programmes pairing LGBTQ+ individuals with senior allies or community members. For example, Travers Smith LLP has supported charity Just Like Us since 2016, helping LGBTQ+ graduates to build confidence and skills as they transition from university to full-time employment. Many firm representatives serve as mentors, and the firm also provides pro bono legal support to the charity on governance, data protection, intellectual property and other legal matters.

The firm’s head of pensions and partner Daniel Gerring co-runs the programme and sits on the board of trustees at Just Like Us. Speaking about his experience, he says: “Over the years I have seen, at firsthand, the transformational power that effective mentoring can have. Providing young LGBT+ people with the tools to be themselves and reach their full potential as they enter the working world is of more importance now than for many years. And being a mentor is a privilege and education too.”

How can you raise funds and awareness for LGBTQ+ charities?

Fundraising and awareness campaigns provide direct support for LGTBQ+ organisations and amplify their impact. They’re another powerful way to show solidarity and drive impact.

As an individual or as part of a network, Pride is a great time to host fundraising events such as:

• bake sales;
• charity runs; and
• panel discussions.

PRIDE @ Centellic explains: “Fundraising can help LGBTQ+ people on a global scale and create an educational space for those that might not be in the community themselves. Last year we raised money for Kaledioscope, which works with political leaders in the UK to ensure global issues are a priority and that activists have the resources, skills and training they need to create an enabling environment and change hearts and minds. This year, we’re looking forward to focusing on even more global activism as Centellic.”

How can law students and lawyers volunteer or do pro bono work?

While financial support is important, volunteering and pro bono allow students and lawyers to use their time and legal skills to directly support LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.

If you’re a student, you could:

• volunteer with relevant charities or helplines during university holidays; and
• get involved in university pro bono clinics – some of these include LGBTQ+ subsections.

For example, Queen Mary University London formed Pink Law in 2008 in collaboration with a commercial law firm. This legal advice clinic offers free, impartial advice on family and immigration law issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

As a trainee or lawyer, you could:

• get involved in volunteer days at your law firm to support causes you care about; and
• explore pro bono programmes through the firm or external organisations.

For example, the Legal Aid Fund GiveOut, which partners with law firms (eg, A&O Shearman, Jones Day, Latham & Watkins, Milbank LLP and Travers Smith), supports organisations using the law to advance equality. This includes both funding and pro bono services, such as support in regions where same-sex relationships and transgender identities are criminalised.

Read this Practice Area Profile for Sam Cottman’s insight into Travers Smith’s pro bono work and life as a pro bono lawyer.

How can you stand in solidarity with the LGTBQ+ community?

Meaningful activism goes beyond Pride Month and requires ongoing, consistent effort.

While large-scale policy change is essential, activism also lives in the everyday – like inclusive language and active listening. Standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community means making small, consistent choices that foster inclusion – not just in June, but all year round.

Simple actions can have a big impact. For example, you might like to:

• share your pronouns in your email signature or social media bio to help to normalise inclusive practices and create safer spaces for others to do the same;
• listen without judgement and respect lived experiences; and
• use inclusive, non-gendered language.

PRIDE @ Centellic says: “Even small acts such as raising awareness for Pride Month, using a person’s correct pronouns, or listening to colleagues discussing their experience without judgement are all steppingstones to supporting and encouraging LGBTQ+ activism and a safe space in the workplace. You don’t have to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community to show support for queer causes, and this open, accepting and positive attitude will embolden queer employees to get involved. Community action evokes change in the workplace and creating a safe space in which community can grow is essential!”

Read this Oracle to discover more about being an authentic ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

True allyship and activism means showing up consistently, not just during Pride. Whether you're attending a Pride event, mentoring a peer or advocating for policy change, every action counts. So, start small, think big and commit to showing up all year round.

Ellie Nicholl (she/her) is a senior content and engagement coordinator at LawCareers.Net.