Commercial specialist Hill Dickinson has become the latest firm to join a scheme initiated by the Law Society’s Disabled Solicitors Network to open up the profession.
Project Rise was introduced in 2021 to encourage firms to offer part-time training options for aspiring solicitors unable to train full time due to disability, caring responsibilities or other reasons.
Today, the Law Society welcomed Hill Dickinson to Project Rise, which already has Eversheds Sutherland, Osborne Clarke, Bates Wells, Brown Jacobson and Freeths as members.
Carolyn Morgan, Hill Dickinson’s chief people officer, said: ‘I am speaking for all of us at Hill Dickinson when I say we're really proud to be part of Project Rise. The ambitions of the initiative to widen access to the law and create a legal profession that welcomes and more accurately represents people in all their economic, physical and cultural diversity aligns perfectly with the all-embracing culture we have sought to create at Hill Dickinson.
‘What is particularly exciting in signing up to this initiative is that we already know it works. As part of widening access, we are already supporting our people to work flexibly and have already seen a number of individuals complete their training contracts with us part-time and successfully qualify as associates.’
Society president Nick Emmerson encouraged more firms to join Project Rise and offer part-time training options for training contracts, solicitor apprenticeships and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. The Society is in ‘active discussions’ with in-house teams about signing up.
Emmerson said: ‘Firms already participating in Project Rise report that applicants are interested in part-time, with one firm reporting 20% of the latest cycle of applicants wanted to train part-time.
‘Given recent legal changes providing more opportunities for employees, including trainees, to request flexible working, firms have found it useful to have the discussions and put working practices in place in advance, rather than having to deal with these following an actual request. One of our participating firms now has 30% part-time work across all levels of employee/partner.’
For more information on Project Rise and the Disabled Solicitors Network, contact disabledsolicitors@lawsociety.org.uk
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