Social mobility: An invisible problem

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Social mobility: An invisible problem

‘We have yet to make significant strides in fostering systemic change for social mobility. Our focus around diversity and inclusion has only been for the past 15 to 20 years, while the legal industry has a history spanning hundreds of years. So, when we gauge the progress made in proportion to this vast timeline, it becomes evident that there is still much ground to cover. Nevertheless, the industry has made commendable strides in a relatively short span, and I believe it can continue its journey towards greater equity with increased support, more allies, and greater investment,’ muses Akil Hunte, a former CMS trainee and current chair of NRG Lawyers, an organisation that helps non-Russell Group students into the legal profession.

Despite the plethora of initiatives seeking to solve social mobility in the legal profession, the underlying statistics remain unpromising. According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), 22% of all lawyers attend a fee-paying school compared to just 7.5% of the general population. While lawyers from a lower-socioeconomic background make up just 17% of the workforce, contrasted to 39% of the national population. Continue reading “Social mobility: An invisible problem”

LB100 – firm profile – Eversheds Sutherland: Beyond the soundbites

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LB100 – firm profile – Eversheds Sutherland: Beyond the soundbites

Having achieved a steady rise in revenue over the past five years, can Eversheds Sutherland maintain its place in the top ten of the LB100?

‘I can’t think of a soundbite for the firm,’ dismisses one finance head at a peer firm when canvassed for his view on Eversheds Sutherland’s place in the market. Continue reading “LB100 – firm profile – Eversheds Sutherland: Beyond the soundbites”

LB100 – firm profile – Womble Bond Dickinson: Joining the dots

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LB100 – firm profile – Womble Bond Dickinson: Joining the dots

With mergers and performance across the pond enduringly hot topics in this year’s LB100 report, LB checked in with Womble Bond Dickinson to see how the firm has performed since it became a transatlantic law firm, and how its strategy looks after its tie-up talks with BDB Pitmans fell through

‘They were the right discussions to have,’ says Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) managing partner Paul Stewart (pictured) of the talks with Pitmans. ‘But law firm mergers are not easy things to do. I wouldn’t rule anything out, but there’s certainly nothing I would talk about at the moment in terms of that kind of transactional activity.’ Continue reading “LB100 – firm profile – Womble Bond Dickinson: Joining the dots”

LB100 – firm profile – gunnercooke: Cooking up a storm?

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LB100 – firm profile – gunnercooke: Cooking up a storm?

With pacey revenue growth over the last five years, gunnercooke looks to be a poster child for operating under the fee-sharing model. Is the firm really cooking with gas or will it struggle to keep market share as economic pressures mount?

Now celebrating its second year in the LB100 main table, having risen five places on last year to 73rd place, gunnercooke is also notable for the fact that its revenue has more than doubled in a five-year timeframe. ‘The firm has been successful,’ notes one managing partner. ‘It appeals to individuals who are attuned to looking out for their own particular interests,’ he notes, referring to the firm’s less traditional fee-sharing model. Continue reading “LB100 – firm profile – gunnercooke: Cooking up a storm?”

Social media influencer: James Bremen, chair of Quinn Emanuel’s construction and engineering practice

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Social media influencer: James Bremen, chair of Quinn Emanuel’s construction and engineering practice

In the early days of the pandemic, James Bremen began posting direct-to-camera explainers on Covid-19 legal issues, before branching out into career advice on making partner and successfully building client relationships, attracting thousands of views with the minimum of fuss Continue reading “Social media influencer: James Bremen, chair of Quinn Emanuel’s construction and engineering practice”

Social media influencer: Emma Lilley, head of legal UK&I, SD Worx

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Social media influencer: Emma Lilley, head of legal UK&I, SD Worx

Emma Lilley, UK and Ireland head of legal at HR and payroll management company SD Worx, has built an audience of over 10,000 followers on Instagram, and leveraged that platform to successfully lobby the Law Society to hold its first-ever regional admissions ceremony in Leeds Continue reading “Social media influencer: Emma Lilley, head of legal UK&I, SD Worx”