Written By Jos Weale, Managing Editor, AllAboutLaw

Herbert Smith Freehills Launches BAME Scholarship to Increase Diversity

Written By Jos Weale, Managing Editor, AllAboutLaw

The Herbert Smith Freehills Excel Scholarship is open to exceptional BAME (black and minority ethnic) students who aspire to become solicitors. The law firm’s London office have teamed up with diversity-focused recruiter Rare to provide this opportunity.

The Excel Scholarship is open to BAME students who are in either their first year of a three-year university course or their second year of a four-year programme. In order to be eligible, prospective applicants must also be Rare candidates. There are two awards available this year.

What will the Excel Scholarship offer?

The scholarship recipients will receive a £9,000 award across the three years of their studies and coveted work experience at the law firm, which will help to build up a great CV for training contract applications. They will gain a place on the Herbert Smith Freehills first year workshop, two weeks’ paid work experience in the summer following completion of their first year and a guaranteed summer vacation scheme interview (as long as they achieve the required first year exam marks). They will also receive personal study sessions with Rare’s Melissa Andrewes, former head of students at the University of Law.

Matthew White, graduate recruitment partner in London, said: "We are excited to be launching this scholarship, which provides a high level of financial support and unique access to work experience opportunities for BAME students. We are committed to attracting and retaining the best people, and support Rare's mission to build workforces of outstanding people that reflect society's diversity."

Lianne Moseley, Director at Rare, said: "The Excel scholarship is a game changer for us, for our candidates and, we hope, for Herbert Smith Freehills too. Herbert Smith Freehills is showing its deep commitment to talented minority students by setting up and funding this fantastic programme. We're very much looking forward to helping some of the UK’s best minority students and this fantastic international law firm connect over the coming months and years."

If you’re interested in applying for the scholarship, you can do so through the Herbert Smith Freehills website. Make sure you get your application in before 31 January 2014!

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