Success in the legal profession should be determined by an individual’s ability and talents, not their background, where they went to school or the occupation of their parents. Change depends on law firm leaders breaking down the structural barriers that many people face because of their socio economic background.
Although things are improving, there is still a long way to go. I was encouraged to see that several large law firms appeared in the Social Mobility Foundation’s annual index, but the barriers faced by many are so entrenched, that more must be done to open the door to the legal profession even wider.
Social mobility is hard to understand if you have not faced barriers to get to where you are. I find the analogy of a running race helpful. If social mobility were not an issue everyone would begin the race on the starting line and the winner would be the fastest person in the race.
However, in our society not everyone starts from the same position when it comes to access to education and work. Socio-economic background, race, gender, sexuality, neurodiversity and disability can all mean that someone starts their race from further and further behind the starting line. They may be the fastest – or if we bring it back to the workplace, they may be the best person for the job – but they will find it hard to win the race or get the job because their starting point is so far behind.
There is a clear moral imperative to tackle this issue, but improving social mobility also makes business sense. A new report from Demos and Co-op reveals that greater social mobility could increase UK business profits by £1.8bn per year.
The same report, which was released a few months ago, shows that the UK economy is missing out on £19bn in GDP growth every year due to a systemic failure to promote greater social mobility in the workplace.
So what should law firm leaders do to promote greater social mobility?
There are some excellent schemes out there, that show what can be achieved, such as the Law Society’s Diversity Action Scheme, which provides scholarships to people from less advantaged backgrounds. It also matches aspiring solicitors with mentors to support them throughout their studies, and placements to help build up their CVs. However law firms should also look at what they can do in their own businesses.
For my own part, I set up the Pearlford Foundation in 2023 to open up the legal profession to under-represented groups through bursaries and mentorship. Throughout my life and career, I have been inspired by the resilience of my parents who are part of the Windrush Generation and this was a big motivation for me in setting up the foundation. It is early days, but I hope that it will be an important part of creating a more inclusive profession.
Mentorship – both formal and informal – is vital, and has played a crucial part in my own career. This is not something that you can pay lip service to. It takes time to develop a strong and effective mentorship relationship, and law firm leaders should allow partners the autonomy and time to devote to this. Mentoring can bring benefits for both sides, and should be incredibly rewarding for mentors as well as their mentees.
Having more diversity in law firm leadership will also help to drive change. I’m proud of the fact that the leadership team at Excello Law does not look like a typical law firm board. The unique perspectives that this diverse group brings is a key part of our success.
It is vital to improve access and opportunity within the legal profession, and create a profession where talent from all social backgrounds is harnessed. To achieve this change must come from the top.
George Bisnought is founder and CEO of Excello Law
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