According to SRA data 23% of lawyers went to private school, compared to 7.5% of the general population, while 58% of lawyers come from a professional background, compared to 37% nationally. Just 17% of lawyers come from a lower socio-economic background, compared to 39% of the general population.
Michelmores knows this, which is why they teamed up with Visionpath to launch something special. Their brand new social mobility programme, ‘Momentum’, is designed to give underprivileged students at local schools in Exeter and Bristol the skills, experiences, and connections to kickstart their careers in the legal industry.
Beginning in September, we identified and selected three strategic school partners: St Luke's and Exeter College in Exeter, and St Katherine’s in Bristol. Each was chosen for being local to Michelmores offices, but also for having disproportionately high levels of disadvantage and low employer engagement. By fostering long-term partnerships between Michelmores and these local schools, we’re creating development opportunities for young people and Michelmores’ staff – not only for now, but long into the future.
Each school’s programme will be tailored to the unique needs of its students. Working with years 9 to 13, we’ve built varied programmes for all ages – for younger students we’ll focus on inspiring them about their future; at GCSE-age we’ll start upskilling them in preparation for the world of work; and at A-level we’ll support them in gaining real-world work experience to boost their CVs.
Led by volunteers from Michelmores, this first year isn’t only about showcasing opportunities in the legal profession, raising young people’s aspirations, and engaging them in Michelmores’ apprenticeships. It’s also about engaging their internal team on the subject of social diversity and giving them an opportunity to contribute to their local communities in a positive way.
“We're really excited to launch Momentum,” says Michelmores Head of HR Kim Tomlinson. “A focus of our approach to inclusion is to build a socially diverse, early careers pipeline to widen access to law, support social mobility and create opportunities for colleagues across the firm to have a positive impact in our local communities. This new programme is an important step towards furthering our ambitions when it comes to diversity and inclusivity.”
Alongside the launch of Momentum, Michelmores marked National Inclusion Week with a series of webinars and interactive sessions that aim to engage employees on the subject of inclusion and grow a sense of belonging throughout the firm. A fitting tribute, we think.
Want to boost inclusion in your industry, but not sure where to start? We can help you come up with a strategy that works for your business – from idea to execution. Just get in touch.
