Clifford Chance launches Racial Justice Award

Magic circle firm Clifford Chance launched its Racial Justice Award in October, following the killing of George Floyd and the increased awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement that followed.

The Racial Justice Award will replace the firm’s long-running Access to Justice Award this year and is open to all “not-for-profit organisations globally that help individuals, groups or communities use the law to achieve significant inclusion, racial justice and social impact.”

A £50,000 donation and 500 hours of pro bono support will be granted to the winning organisation.

Jeroen Ouwehand, senior partner at Clifford Chance, said: "As a law firm, we regularly fight for justice and equality, and believe that we must be committed to protecting and promoting these values – it is not enough that we simply say we believe in something. We must take actions that make it a reality.

“Given events this year and our conversations with internal stakeholders, it was clear that we had to do more to tackle structural racism. In addition to doubling our funding to the Equal Justice Initiative in the US, we are keen to apply the successful model underpinning the Access to Justice Award to the fight for racial justice and strongly encourage all organisations to apply."

Clifford Chance’s pro bono team will work with representatives of the firm’s Race Equality and Celebrating Heritage (REACH) network to select the shortlisted organisations. An independent judging panel made up of partners and lawyers from the firm, members of the senior representatives from its strategic pro bono partners, and client base will choose the winner.