As part of continuing attempts to improve diversity in the legal profession, several leading law firms have announced that they will be throwing the recruitment net wider and targeting new universities.
City law firms have long been criticised for relying too heavily on a few elite universities to provide trainee fodder. Criticisms that have been reinforced by a recent report revealing that a massive 38% of trainees over the last two years hailed from Oxbrige.
Pinsent Masons, Slaughters and BLP were the first to increase the number of unis they target during the last recruitment round, according to a Legal Week report. However others including Linklaters, Freshfields, Hogan Lovells and Bird & Bird are now getting in on the act too.
Links is adding Leicester and Southampton to its list of target unis, whilst Freshfields is looking at a further seven. Hoglove is trekking further afield with Queen's in Belfast, Trinity in Dublin and St Andrew's in Fife making its list. And Bird & Bird is adding Russell Group unis Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff to its roster. So not exactly straying far from the top universities but certainly spreading the net wider.
Claire Harris from Hogan Lovells explained that the move was to "make sure we're recruiting from a wide range of backgrounds". Although whether visiting more universities will have any discernible effect on the diversity of candidates recruited remains to be seen.
In any event, with firms setting up stall at more law fairs across the country, at least a few more students will have the chance to claim a stash of free pens and branded jelly beans. With tuition fees set to spiral, every little helps.
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City law firms have long been criticised for relying too heavily on a few elite universities to provide trainee fodder. Criticisms that have been reinforced by a recent report revealing that a massive 38% of trainees over the last two years hailed from Oxbrige.
Pinsent Masons, Slaughters and BLP were the first to increase the number of unis they target during the last recruitment round, according to a Legal Week report. However others including Linklaters, Freshfields, Hogan Lovells and Bird & Bird are now getting in on the act too.
Links is adding Leicester and Southampton to its list of target unis, whilst Freshfields is looking at a further seven. Hoglove is trekking further afield with Queen's in Belfast, Trinity in Dublin and St Andrew's in Fife making its list. And Bird & Bird is adding Russell Group unis Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff to its roster. So not exactly straying far from the top universities but certainly spreading the net wider.
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Another university added to the list yesterday |
Claire Harris from Hogan Lovells explained that the move was to "make sure we're recruiting from a wide range of backgrounds". Although whether visiting more universities will have any discernible effect on the diversity of candidates recruited remains to be seen.
In any event, with firms setting up stall at more law fairs across the country, at least a few more students will have the chance to claim a stash of free pens and branded jelly beans. With tuition fees set to spiral, every little helps.