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Only 32% of law firms publish minority data |
In July 2006 only one third of the UK’s 100 top legal firms were willing
to publish data about the diversity of their staff, according to the
government.
Of the 34 who replied 32 had already published the data.
Bridget Prentice MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Constitutional Affairs, said she was "appalled" at the lack of response by
law firms. |
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3% black minority ethnic (BME) |
The legal profession has traditionally been seen as one of the most closed
sectors in business when it comes to employing women and people from black
and minority ethnic groups.
Just 3% of partners in the UK’s top 100 law firms come from ethnic
minorities, according to The Lawyer magazine’s 2006 Diversity League
Table.
In April 2006, City law firm Herbert Smith became the first legal company
in the UK to formalise its commitment to equality by appointing an
inclusivity manager.
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Notable black women in the law
Baroness Scotland |
Shami Chakrabarti, Director of
Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties)
Baroness Scotland of Asthal, In 1991 she made legal history
becoming the first black female QC (Queens Counsel) at the age of 35. She
was made a bencher of the Middle Temple in 1997, becoming a judge in 1999,
and raised to the Privy Council in 2001; first female Attorney-General
Attorney in June 2007
Mrs Justice Linda Dobbs, appointed as a High Court Judge in October
2004; the highest lever reached in the judiciary by black person. She is
one of 108 High Court Judges.
Black and ethnic minority solicitors make up 9.7 per cent of solicitors on
the roll but just over 32 per cent of law students and 17.5 per cent of
trainees. Yet at the top of the profession, only 21.5 per cent of such
lawyers are partners in their firms -compared with nearly 32 per cent of
white solicitors.
Further information can be found at The Black Lawyers Directory
www.onlineBLD.com
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Ethnicity of students |
While 24 per cent of students enrolled by
the Law Society were from an ethnic minority, the percentage of university
students from disadvantaged backgrounds is decreasing.
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Fiona Woolf |
Fiona Woolf
became president of the Law Society in July 2006.
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Zahida Manzoor CBE |
The Legal Services Commissioner is the same person who holds the position as Legal
Services Ombudsman - Zahida Manzoor, a woman. She was recognised
as National Asian Woman of the Year in 1999.
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Diversity in action |
Law firms tend to look to the traditional
academic institutions rather than recruit top graduates from the newer
universities, whose ethnic make-up is more diverse.
One effective strategy is to use work
placements as a positive way to bring in a more diverse future workforce.
Another would be to build employee networks within firms as well as
utilising external groups, such as Stonewall (lesbian, gay men,
bisexuals), Opportunity Now (inclusiveness for women)
and Race for Opportunity (race and diversity in business).
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