How small and mid-sized firms can support the growth of a more diverse workforce
To say that a career in law has historically attracted financially affluent white students (mainly male, but not exclusively), would not be a controversial statement. But times are changing and it’s fair to say that in the last 20 years, much has been done by the big firms especially to widen that demographic and pave the way for a more inclusive and diverse workforce. We see more women in leadership roles and boardrooms, especially in property law. But diversity outside of gender still has a long way to go.
According to research from the SRA, only 14% of the legal workforce identify as an ethnic minority and just 5% as disabled. There is also still a significant difference in the proportion of lawyers from “privileged” backgrounds compared to the wider population, mainly based on socio-economic status and attendance at independent, fee-paying schools. Training contract opportunities have been drastically cut and the prospect of grappling with eye-watering tuition fees and student debt is off-putting. Law books are expensive and many students struggle to get the work done whilst managing part-time jobs. The financial boundaries into the legal profession still very much still exist, clipping the career prospects for students from poorer backgrounds. Put simply, the system still remains set-up for poorer students to struggle. This has to change.
Small-to-mid-sized firms have always found it challenging to offer alternative pathways into a law career without the deep pockets to fund these initiatives. But if we ignore these challenges instead of finding ways around them, we’ll miss out on so much talent and so many potentially brilliant conveyancers.
Grassroots education
Working with students at grassroots level, as they consider their higher education options, is an effective way of targeting new talent and communicating the benefits of a career in property law. Working with local schools and colleges is a brilliant way to help school-leavers understand what a career in conveyancing looks like. It also acts as an opportunity to offer alternative routes to qualification for those that might not have the means to follow a conventional path through university and Law School. Between March and May each year, many schools and colleges welcome professionals onto their campus to speak with leavers and it’s an effective way to engage with young people and potential talent in your area.
Training on the job
Higher education is an unappealing option for young people who cannot afford expensive tuition fees and extra years out of the workforce. Learning on-the-job is a much more attractive option that comes with multiple benefits. For the trainee, they are offered a career path whilst earning, allowing them to cover expenses and avoid student debt. The business can impart their individual processes with an employee who brings no previously formed habits to the job. It benefits the wider industry too. If and when they might leave the company, they’ll be qualified to a high level, raising standards across the whole industry.
Additional resources
Offering trainees additional resources and opportunities is a relatively small gesture, but hugely worthwhile. Giving every trainee a laptop allows them to work freely and take on any extra study in their own time, if they want to. Allowing trainees to attend industry and networking events helps to build their confidence and professional skills to communicate effectively in this industry. It also allows them to meet and mix with trainees from other firms, helping to bolster the ambitions of developing better cross-company relationships.
The conversation around diversity in law is an ongoing one but change only happens when we stop treating it like a buzzword and put real processes in place to ensure that firms help young talent see an achievable pathway to a legal career and recruitment actively focuses on equal opportunities.
Talking about this is not enough. It runs deeper than policies in handbooks. We have to put our hands in our pockets and help fund education because the financial barriers will not disappear. It’s paying wages. Offering training. Allowing for time to commit to study. To truly commit to gifted, talented, minority and underrepresented lawyers working in property law. We have to stand by our word and help support their pathway into this rewarding profession.
The Aconveyancing Academy is currently training seven conveyancers and aims to take on more in 2023. For more information, visit www.aconveyancing.com.
