Challenging the predefined ideas of 'success' and 'achievement'

This month, with the support of Allen & Overy, I pivoted from my role as an associate in the employment litigation team to become the firm’s first ambassador for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) globally.

This role sits within the firm’s global marketing team, with the scope to work with clients, internal stakeholders and practice groups across our international network.

Success and progression should not be defined by those around you. Law is inherently a traditional industry and it is not easy to break the mould early on in a legal career and question the predefined ideas of success and ‘achievement’.

As a gay man and first-generation university student from Essex, I have been motivated – and am in a position – to challenge these preconceptions.

This change marks an exciting opportunity to carve out my new role at Allen & Overy and to work with those internally who already have a great impact within DE&I to fully embed the firm’s agenda on a global basis.

Early career journey

As a trainee, I was fortunate to be on the committees of a number of internal DE&I networks, including A&Out, the firm’s LGBTQ+ network. I know the importance of representation and visibility across the profession and the need for allyship to move the dial in the right direction.

I’ve been inspired by the people I’ve met within the Law Society. In my role as a social mobility ambassador, I’ve sought to help increase social mobility across the industry and find every opportunity to learn from others.

In my role as a lawyer, I quickly learnt the importance of joining the dots on a client and internal relationship level to help facilitate meaningful and impactful change.

Actions speak louder than words, and I began to see the most targeted impact when law firms and companies committed time and effort to further DE&I objectives collaboratively.

GROW Mentoring

I was in the unique position early on in my career to found a fast-scaling charity, GROW Mentoring. I communicated what I was learning through the charity with others at the Law Society and internally to collaborate and gain greater traction.

GROW works with a wide range of law firms and some of the world’s most recognisable companies to collaborate on and advance DE&I on a large scale. It is a testament to Allen & Overy’s focus on DE&I and their commitment to employees that they signed GROW as a pro-bono client to provide their expertise and support. GROW focusses on three key objectives:

• To provide mentoring to over 4,000 aspiring lawyers globally
• To launch fully accessible events, with keynotes from notable people around the world
• To address intersectionality in law and support junior lawyers

Looking to the future

From my first day walking through the doors of our London office as a trainee in 2020, to beginning this new role and career, I have always maintained that diversity is a strength and something to feel proud of.

My hope is that a greater diversity of people join and stay within the profession, in any role most suited to them.

When I qualified as a lawyer earlier this year, I felt an immense sense of gratitude and appreciation for my journey and background. Throughout my years at the firm, I have embraced my differences, background and diversity.

Now, as I shift focus to helping to embed our DE&I agenda on a global scale, I’m looking forward to collaborating with clients, building connections with my colleagues around the world and learning from the talented team here in London. The role importantly represents the firm’s continued commitment and core focus on DE&I.

The reaction to my new role has been incredibly positive and I hope it inspires others to be proud of their background and diversity. I am excited about the new role with Allen & Overy and look forward to carving out my own unique path in this space!

Justin Farrance is ambassador for DE&I at Allen & Overy and a social mobility ambassador at the Law Society