Browne Jacobson supports young Black lawyers with new cohort of REACH mentoring programme

Bethany Wren (she/her) is head of content and events at LawCareers.Net

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Browne Jacobson LLP has launched the fifth year of its Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) mentoring programme, welcoming a new cohort of 12 aspiring Black lawyers to gain insight into the legal profession.

The UK and Ireland law firm said the REACH initiative forms a key part of its commitment to improving diversity in the legal sector, where Black lawyers accounted for just 3% of those working in UK law firms at the time of the programme’s launch in 2022, according to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

REACH seeks to address this imbalance by building a sustainable pipeline of future Black legal talent. Nearly 60 aspiring legal professionals have taken part to date, with 17 participants going on to secure roles at Browne Jacobson.

The latest cohort was introduced to the programme at a launch event held at the firm’s Birmingham office on 2 April, led by senior partner Jonathan Tardiff alongside partner and REACH sponsor Bridget Tatham, Mahogany Partners founder Aggie Yemurai Mutuma, former REACH mentee and now associate Adeyemi Ogunkoya, and representatives from Birmingham Black Lawyers.

Tatham commented: “As a firm that aims to tackle society's biggest issues, we're proud of the impact our REACH programme is already beginning to have on advancing Black representation across our organisation and the wider legal profession.

“At its core, this is not about finding or creating talent – Black talent has always existed in abundance. It's about removing the structural barriers that have historically prevented Black lawyers from entering, progressing, and thriving in this industry.

“We're committed to ensuring that Black lawyers are not just welcomed, but genuinely supported at every stage of their careers, with the mentorship, sponsorship, visibility and opportunities they deserve.”

Over the next six months, participants will receive one-to-one mentoring, structured development sessions and in-person work experience across the firm’s seven offices, alongside events including fireside chats with prominent Black lawyers and workshops focused on confidence, communication and commercial awareness.

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