Spending time and energy challenging stigma and stereotypes could be one of several reasons behind an ethnicity attainment gap in legal professional assessments, research commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority suggests.

After a pilot of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination found that white candidates generally performed better than black, asian and other minority ethnic candidates, the SRA appointed the University of Exeter to investigate the reasons behind the attainment gap. The regulator has published the findings of the first stage of the research - a systemic literature review.

The review covered more than 200 UK and international academic, government and professional reports and articles.

The findings suggest exam outcomes are affected to varying degrees by factors such as how well students feel they fit into their place of education, the availability of support for minority groups, their belief in how they might succeed in an ‘elitist’ profession, and their experience being part of a minority group.

For instance, negative experiences mean students are dedicating time and energy on ‘coping strategies’ to counteract and challenge stereotypes and stigma, which could signal 'depletion of resources' on achieving professional success.

SRA chief executive Paul Philip said: ‘We know that there is a longstanding and worrying pattern of different outcomes for candidates from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds in many professional qualifications, including those in law. We want to know why this is happening in law and develop a plan to address this, where we can. This independent research is the first step in better understanding what reasons lie behind the picture we are seeing.

‘The literature review is the starting point for that research. What is clear, even at this early stage, is that the factors influencing the outcomes for candidates are complex and beyond the control of the individuals themselves. Getting a greater understanding of the specific situation in the legal sector is an important next step in the research, so that we can help to consider what can be done by us and others, to make the difference we all want to see.’

The second phase of the research – examining people’s experiences and testing specific factors that might explain the difference in outcomes – will be completed by the end of the year. A final report will be published in Spring 2024.