From Intern to Solicitor: Examining Social Mobility Barriers in the Trainee Solicitor Journey

Nov 14, 2023

Written By Nandini Jadeja

Professions within an industry such as medicine are widely known for the length of times it takes for an individual to reach a ‘professional’ level. However, many overlook the fact that the journey from law student to a solicitor in the UK is often just as long. It can be especially long if there are barriers to the profession, such as with social mobility. Law firms have recently begun to grasp just how fundamental diversity and equal opportunity are for a just and inclusive legal profession. This article aims to explore challenges and solutions related to social mobility, specifically among trainee solicitors.

Understanding social mobility in the legal profession:

In the legal profession, social mobility can be defined as the ability of individuals from diverse backgrounds to access and succeed in the legal field, regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnicity and other factors. While diversity and inclusion is fundamental in every workplace, it is especially important that the legal profession reflects the diversity of society to enhance the legal system’s effectiveness and fairness. Social mobility is the key to building this workforce.

To give an example of why social mobility is needed in the legal profession, the findings of a survey conducted by the City of London Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce (which the Law Society sits on) published last year. It showed that employees with a professional background were 43% more likely to be at a senior level than their working class colleagues, while just 1% of people in senior positions were ethnic minority women from working class backgrounds.

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Barriers to social mobility in the trainee solicitor path:

The most common barriers to access that aspiring solicitors from underrepresented backgrounds may face include: not obtaining high grades in GCSEs/A-levels due to extenuating circumstances, being unable to undertake work experience due to other responsibilities and struggling to afford the high cost of legal training.

Socioeconomic factors, such as access to a high-quality education and financial support also play an important role in entering the legal profession. For example, the report discussed earlier found that 26% of senior employees had attended fee-paying schools, three times the national average of 7.5%. By contrast, 37% of respondents from working class backgrounds felt that their background had held them back at work. Another factor which can limit access to the legal profession is unconscious bias in recruitment and mentorship processes. To give a broad example, the profession of a judge is automatically associated with a man, while secretaries are generally assumed to be women.

Representation in Legal Education:

The underrepresentation of minority groups among aspiring solicitors does not begin in law firms; there is also underrepresentation at UK universities. Statistics from the Sutton Trust show that only around 16% of students on Free Schools Meals attend university, compared to more than 75% of private schools students going on to university. The most competitive universities (Oxbridge, Russell Group) generally have worse social mobility statistics than less-selective universities.

Thankfully, there are now several outreach programmes, scholarships and partnerships that aim to promote diversity and social mobility. These initiatives are critical for breaking down barriers and ensuring a more inclusive pipeline to the legal profession.

The role of internships and legal education

Internships and work experience are integral to the journey to becoming a solicitor, as they are often stepping stones towards breaking into the legal profession.

On one hand, internships can be incredibly beneficial for social mobility by offering valuable opportunities to develop key skills and network with legal professionals. On the other hand, they can pose challenges for individuals from diverse backgrounds, particularly if a law firm favours students from ‘elite’ universities or has stringent grade requirements.

Fair and inclusive recruitment practices are the first step to avoid furthering social mobility barriers. Organisations such as Aspiring Solicitors and the Diversity Access Scheme even provide tailored legal internships to specific groups.

Law firms and trainee solicitor recruitment

While recruitment practices at law firms have changed considerably in light of efforts to promote social mobility, more can be done to make the trainee solicitor selection process fairer.

Many law firms have established initiatives to boost social mobility by partnering with social mobility foundations, creating work experience opportunities for diverse students and fostering social mobility internally within their organisations. The implementation of diversity targets is also a great way for law firms to show transparency and hold themselves accountable.

Mentorship programmes

Mentorship programmes have also been adopted by several law firms. These help to guide students from underrepresented backgrounds to successful legal careers, by providing support, advice and guidance throughout the educational journey to becoming a solicitor. Law firms like Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith Freehills, Covington & Burling and Browne Jacobson have their own initiatives, while organisations like Aspiring Solicitors, GROW and the Student Lawyer Mentorship scheme offer one-to-one mentoring.

Strategies for a more inclusive trainee solicitor journey

Some strategies that both law firms and individuals can get involved in to address social mobility barriers include:

Educating yourself on unconscious bias and being aware of how it might influence your decisions in the workplace.
Getting involved with diversity and access schemes. This includes attending law fairs, speaking to students at online events or even implementing a social mobility scheme at your firm.
Offering to mentor underrepresented students or offer advice at the application stage.
Raising awareness of social mobility in the workplace at every level of the legal profession to make it more inclusive for those interested in law.
Ensure that law firms are implementing inclusive recruitment practices and policies that promote social mobility. For example, is there an area on the application form where students can detail extenuating circumstances?

While there have been many developments in the legal profession to boost social mobility, diversity and inclusion, there is still a way to go in ensuring that the legal world is reflective of wider society. Law firms and individuals within the profession can make a real difference by taking active steps to promote social mobility, especially at the trainee solicitor stage. By breaking down these barriers, we can ensure that aspiring solicitors from all backgrounds can achieve their career goals, and ultimately create a stronger, more equitable legal profession.

Diversity