Diversity in the News: Law Firms Pushed to Diversify Their Ranks

by: Staff, Team Member, Diversity Best Practices

While the number of women, black and minority ethnic lawyers in the United Kingdom has grown over the past 40 years, progress has been tempered by a lack of upward mobility and a significant wage gap between these groups and white men, according to The Guardian. Moreover, those from higher socio-economic backgrounds are at a supreme advantage when it comes to gaining entry into the legal profession, according to a study published by Race for Opportunity. In an effort to change the profile of lawyers in the United Kingdom, the Legal Services Board (LSB) is considering mandating firms to compile and publish statistics revealing the diversity of their staff. LSB believes that compiling and publishing statistics will provide a factual base for policy initiatives, while creating a new level of transparency that can stimulate change in the diversity and inclusion realm. However, this plan is not without opposition from those who question the practicality and purpose of such information gathering.