Law Society unveils new DE&I strategy

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The Law Society of England and Wales recently launched its new three-year diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy as part of its wider corporate goals for a more accessible legal profession.

The strategy sets out three key commitments, which are:

• to strengthen diversity in senior leadership;
• to support disabled solicitors; and
• to build more inclusive workplace cultures.

The Law Society conducted detailed research to create the strategy, involving 70 individuals from its communities and networks, and the legal profession more widely. Participants included aspiring and junior solicitors, mid-career professionals and senior leaders from law firms, in-house teams and other organisations working with the legal sector. They shared their views through a series of interviews and focus groups.

The respondents highlighted their key priorities. In particular, they:

• emphasised the importance of adopting an intersection approach to DE&I and tackling changes faced by those from minority or marginalised backgrounds;
• called for the Law Society to be more proactive in driving change, championing best practices and platforming issues;
• expressed a preference for, “practical, actionable resources on wellbeing, DE&I and sustainability, rather than generic statements”; and
• stated they want the Law Society to, “set benchmarks, share best practice and provide tools for measuring progress”.

Law Society President Mark Evans said: “For two centuries, the Law Society has championed solicitors and their role in upholding justice. We’ve stood alongside the profession in its fight for equality, while trailblazing solicitors paved the way for greater inclusion.

“Yet, inequality and bias continue to shape career paths. Women, minority ethnic, LGBTQ+ and disabled solicitors still face barriers to senior roles. Disabled solicitors remain underrepresented. And too often, workplace cultures leave people feeling like they can’t bring their best selves to work.”​

Evans added: “At the Law Society we will continue to use our voice, influence and connections to build a more inclusive profession. But we can’t do it alone. We need law firms, in-house teams and legal professionals at all levels to step up and join us.​ 

“Let’s build on the progress made and ensure equality, diversity and inclusion become the foundation of our profession’s future.”