The Law Society has launched a diversity and inclusion (D&I) framework to help workplaces develop and deliver a strategic approach to diversity and inclusion. Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said: 'From the high street to the Supreme Court, the legal profession must reflect the society it serves.

'There is often a leap to action on D&I – a sense of urgency to ‘do something,’ with a myriad of advice, schemes and checklists available,' Boyce said. 'This can lead to activity that is reactive to immediate pressures, short lived or not properly resourced or recognised,' Boyce said. 'This risks a lot of effort being put into initiatives that don’t ultimately improve diversity or boost inclusion in your workplace.'

I Stephanie Boyce

Society president I. Stephanie Boyce

Source: Michael Cross

According to the Society's latest Annual Statistics Report, 18% of solicitors are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. However they account for nearly a third of sole practitioners.

Boyce said that the D&I framework will help members develop and deliver a strategy that creates lasting change. 'It has simple steps to follow, tangible actions to take, and regular checkpoints to help workplaces monitor their progress.'

She added: 'We hope the framework will support workplaces to take a strategic and systematic approach to diversity and inclusion activity to ensure that the change they’re seeking to make is sustainable.'