DE&I in Legal Firms

Despite the fact that the proportion of women in law has increased year on year (currently 52%), the number of women reaching senior leadership positions remains stubbornly low. The pace of change is slower in large law firms compared to smaller firms and in-house legal teams. In the largest law firms, women make up only 31% of partners. Law Society statistics show that the rate of practising female solicitors drops from 60% to 40% after the age of 35, whilst for men the decline is more modest and evenly distributed up to the age of 60. 

86% of lawyers are white, a statistic that has remained unchanged for a decade. In 2022, the SRA reported an increase in the proportion of lawyers from an Asian and Mixed/Multiple background, but no change for lawyers from a Black or Other minority ethnic background. 

Diversity in social background used to jokingly refer to which Oxbridge college a lawyer attended.  The majority of lawyers still come from a 'privileged' background, based on socio-economic background (determined by parental occupation at aged 14) and attendance at independent/fee-paying schools.  In the UK, only one in eight children from low-income backgrounds goes on to have a high-earning career.

This is a missed opportunity for everyone. Diverse lawyers bring diverse opinions, diverse teams make better decisions, and a more diverse and equitable legal industry drives more innovative and creative solutions for clients. 

The Farringford law firm DE&I Consultancy team believe that real change can only be achieved by collaboration, listening and engagement. Some of the factors that mean that diverse lawyers are not reaching leadership positions will be common across the legal industry and society; others will be unique to that team or that firm.  

We work with law firm leaders and their teams to understand what is preventing them from succeeding in DE&I, facilitating true engagement and recommending strategies and changes that can really move the dial in transformation.