Improving diversity practice in law firms

10.00-10.30

Registration & coffee

10.30-10.50

Welcome

Conf erence Chair: Sundeep Bhatia , Chair, Society of Asian Lawyers

Introduction

Linda Lee, Vice President, The Law Society

The Law Society's commitment to encouraging excellence in equality and diversity in all that we do.

10.50-11.10

What do we know about the profile of the profession, trends, opportunities and barriers?

Stephen Ward, Director of Communications, Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility, The Law Society

This presention will bring together the available research and give an opportunity to explore the equality and diversity issues facing the profession.

Includes Q&A session.

11.10 -11.30

An increasing number of law firms are making real headway on diversity. Simmons & Simmons is committed to fostering inclusion and diversity in relation to its employees, clients, stakeholders and the community at large. What changes has this award-winning firm made and why?

Daniel Winterfeldt, Partner, Simmons & Simmons

11.30-12.40

Breakouts

1. Recruitment:

• Mohan Yogendran, Partner, Rockpools
• Nicky Bizzell, Head of Resourcing, Eversheds

As law firms increasingly use their procurement processes to promote diversity, businesses that provide recruitment services need to respond by providing a diverse range of candidates and monitoring data. What changes are firms making to the way they recruit? How can businesses that support recruitment in the legal sector work with firms to deliver on diversity?

2. Reporting on progress:

• Dr Gillian Shapiro, Managing Director, Shapiro Consulting
• Rita Tappia, Professional Recruitment Manager, Shoosmiths

Monitoring and reporting are vital activities which help firms to identify success and where to target resources. What are the essential activities that need to be reported on and how do you get buy-in from your firm?

3. Levering change:

• Dianna Yach, Ionann Consultancy

What needs to be in place and who makes it happen? The Law Society's Standards and Toolkit provides a framework for identifying what success looks like. It provides resources to help accelerate change in your firm. This workshop will introduce you to its content and give advice on how to get the most out of it.

4. Barriers to career progress and how to tackle them:

• Aisha Hussain, Equality & Diversity Manager, The Law Society
• Nina Fletcher, Head of Research, The Law Society

In the last few months research has been undertaken to identify what women and black and ethnic minority lawyers identify as the barriers to full access to opportunities in the profession. Hear their observations and the actions that have been identified as necessary to deliver change.

12.40-13.40

Lunch

13.40-14.50

The morning breakout sessions are repeated

14.50-15.10

Inspired leadership  

Ian  Brookes-Howells, Lawyer, BT

Increasingly clients are looking to work with service providers that demonstrate they share the same values and commitment to fairness and equality. The Diversity Procurement Protocol signatories make a clear declaration of this intention. BT is one of the leaders in this field and will give advice on how best to follow the protocol.

15.10- 15.20

Chair's closing remarks

15.20-16.00

Short drinks reception