Law firms & Diversity

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Also, in light of this topic, have people read the government's report into race relations in the UK that was released yesterday? I'm admittedly only a bit of the way through it and haven't finished it yet but from what I've read and seen online, it seems like a massively missed opportunity

Can’t be bothered to read it. Load of propaganda with an agenda.

 

[S87]

Also, in light of this topic, have people read the government's report into race relations in the UK that was released yesterday? I'm admittedly only a bit of the way through it and haven't finished it yet but from what I've read and seen online, it seems like a massively missed opportunity

I saw some posts and the findings worry me!!

But I need to read it before giving my opinion..anyway we can all agree that this country can do better!

I am Italian, I do not have an Italian accent and people try to guess where I am from but never been discriminated because of it!

 

[thirdtimelucky]

This is a bit off topic but I was curious if people feel they have been discriminated against because of their accent? I have a friend who was told that their accent could be a barrier and pose as a lack of strong ‘communication skills’. For context this was a few years ago at a law fair and they are from African descent.

I have a British accent so I obviously havent experienced this and was shocked that it even happened.

I wonder if this happens on a wider scale and if so, have firms done anything to create a more inclusive space for people who may feel like outsiders because of their accents?

I don’t know much about this so I can’t comment further but thought I’d open a discussion on this!

This might be somewhat unrelated but I had the opposite happen where a shocked colleague told me that I spoke perfect English even though I had grown up here...

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

This might be somewhat unrelated but I had the opposite happen where a shocked colleague told me that I spoke perfect English even though I had grown up here...

And this is why we still have a long way to go.....

 

[nisadee]

Guys, am I being too harsh if I decide to not apply to law firms where there are no black people?

Absolutely not. I was horrified when I saw on my vac scheme consisting of 70+ people, there was not a single black person......... and this was a firm that prided themselves on diversity

 

[JayB]

Guys, am I being too harsh if I decide to not apply to law firms where there are no black people?

Just putting my own 2 cents into this debate - if I was you I would speak to the graduate recruitment about this concern - hopefully they will clarify any questions you may have. How are you doing your research btw? Are you actually attending law firm events or just basing it off a firm’s website?

I am saying this because I think black candidates have become the most successful over the years when securing TC offers. I have many black friends who are current trainees and hold future trainee titles in elite international law firms, US firms and MC firms. I am a bit baffled on what firms you are looking at that consist of no black people. As I am sure there is some black people at “these” firm, but as @Jessica Booker mentioned many choose not to showcase themselves, and this is absolutely true. At speak panel events or open days I have attended at many law firms, most or all speakers tend to be white and not of ethnic-minority or black, it doesn’t “automatically” mean that the whole firm is white. You need to research a bit deeper because I think most firms are recruiting a large volume of black people or ethnic minorities now. So you shouldn’t be discouraged at all from applying to any firm you think has 0 black people in it, you are only limiting your own chances

Also you just need to look at LinkedIn and see how much black partners, associates, trainees and future trainees they are!!

 

[S87]

Just putting my own 2 cents into this debate - if I was you I would speak to the graduate recruitment about this concern - hopefully they will clarify any questions you may have. How are you doing your research btw? Are you actually attending law firm events or just basing it off a firm’s website?

I am saying this because I think black candidates have become the most successful over the years when securing TC offers. I have many black friends who are current trainees and hold future trainee titles in elite international law firms, US firms and MC firms. I am a bit baffled on what firms you are looking at that consist of no black people. As I am sure there is some black people at “these” firm, but as @Jessica Booker mentioned many choose not to showcase themselves, and this is absolutely true. At speak panel events or open days I have attended at many law firms, most or all speakers tend to be white and not of ethnic-minority or black, it doesn’t “automatically” mean that the whole firm is white. You need to research a bit deeper because I think most firms are recruiting a large volume of black people or ethnic minorities now. So you shouldn’t be discouraged at all from applying to any firm you think has 0 black people in it, you are only limiting your own chances

Also you just need to look at LinkedIn and see how much black partners, associates, trainees and future trainees they are!!

I spend so much time on LinkedIn reading about firms that I need to delete the app sometimes.
It is not a 2 hours research believe me!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I spend so much time on LinkedIn reading about firms that I need to delete the app sometimes.
It is not a 2 hours research believe me!

LinkedIn isn’t reality though no matter how far you research into it. In the same way we try to stress that LinkedIn is not a good reflection of individual’s achievements, I don’t think it’s reliable from an employers perspective.

Just an example - I was recently asked to pull together biographies for an incoming graduate intake using LinkedIn. 30% of the intake weren’t even on LinkedIn, another 25% didn’t have a profile picture on LinkedIn.

Unless you have a significant paid for subscription to LinkedIn too, you’ll be limited to what you can see too, and the algorithms mean you will see the more popular/active/connected accounts.

 

[Oroma]

LinkedIn isn’t reality though no matter how far you research into it. In the same way we try to stress that LinkedIn is not a good reflection of individual’s achievements, I don’t think it’s reliable from an employers perspective.

Just an example - I was recently asked to pull together biographies for an incoming graduate intake using LinkedIn. 30% of the intake weren’t even on LinkedIn, another 25% didn’t have a profile picture on LinkedIn.

Unless you have a significant paid for subscription to LinkedIn too, you’ll be limited to what you can see too, and the algorithms mean you will see the more popular/active/connected accounts.

I agree. My LinkedIn isn’t even up to date. I don’t use it to update my progress or anything like that in all honesty.