The next edition of our Verdict Magazine, aimed at giving law students the inside track, is out. This special Equality, Diversity and Inclusion edition sees us talking to a range of legal pioneers and innovators who continue to break down barriers in widening access to law and business.
By Editorial Team. Published 16 March 2022. Last updated 27 July 2022.
Hear from trans lawyer, Robin White, who is leading the fight for the law to recognise that gender is not binary, and what it is really like to be a trans woman in the legal industry, and pioneering trend-maker, Karlia Lykourgou, criminal barrister fighting crimes against women’s fashion in court, the lack of legal attire for a diverse workforce.
Yasmin Sheikh and Jonathan Andrews discuss how making accessibility changes to workplaces will attract more talent and a more diverse viewpoint to companies. Yasmin and Jonathan advocate for lawyers with physical disabilities and say neurodiversity is increasingly being recognised as an asset in the legal profession, but one of the main barriers neurodivergent individuals still face is the rigorous application process for training contracts. Simplifying the process opens the legal industry up to a diverse pool of talent.
Passion is most often the fuel for those wanting a legal career. This can especially be said for the legal activists in this issue of Verdict. Leading lawyers, Suella Braverman and Nazir Afzal OBE are on the case for widening participation in the UK legal landscape stating more needs to be done to support new diverse talent. “It takes 20-odd years for a judge to be made. Unless we start “thinking outside the box” -- for example, by more aggressive mentoring and coaching -- it could yet be the work of generations rather than years.”
YouTube icon Ibz Mo discusses how he encourages applicants from minority backgrounds along with diversity champion, Tashan Dwyer, Magic Circle trainee and online creator, who are both flying the flag for diverse legal students through their channels and online presence.
We also speak to Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, about the role diversity is playing in politics and law and how we need to do more to improve the diversity of the judiciary, citing that companies make better choices with diverse voices at the table.
Read the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion edition, issue #7 of Verdict magazine now.
