Championing for change in the sector through Legal CORE

We know there is more to be done to increase representation in the legal sector, and in 2021 we spearheaded a collaboration with seven other founding firms to launch Legal CORE, the first leadership-led, cross-firm collective aimed at tackling the underrepresentation of ethnic minority groups in the UK’s legal sector. 

Legal CORE has now grown to a membership of over 40 firms and aims to be action-oriented, acting as a convening body for law firms by providing a platform for collaborative and innovative solutions.

The initiative follows a three-point plan to achieve its purpose: engaging with senior leaders to raise standards; creating best practice forums for partners and diversity and inclusion practitioners; and engaging employees, students, and others to enhance the sector's reputation and appeal.

Since its launch, Legal CORE has made significant strides. It has hosted a leadership discussion series for senior leaders on the role of a race champion. The group has also hosted two best practice forums, sharing insights on topics such as role modelling, sponsorship, mentoring, leadership and culture. Additionally, the group has held Think Tank events gathering ideas from individuals across the legal sector to improve the retention of ethnic minority individuals. One Think Tank took the form of a half-day ‘hackathon’-style event that brought together individuals from across a number of firms in the legal sector to answer the challenge question: “How can law firms improve the retention of ethnic minorities within their respective firms and across the legal sector?” Click here to read the full report.

For further information, please contact the inclusion team.