Equality & Diversity

Our approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to improving the gender balance at all levels of our firm, and we are working hard to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their goals.

We are steadfast in our efforts to attract and retain talented women as well as helping them at every stage at their careers so that they can achieve their personal goals. It is important for us to understand how to create a workplace that is welcoming to everyone, regardless of their gender identity. We recognise the value of bringing people together who share common interests and ambitions.

We believe that excellence will be achieved through recognising the value of every individual. We aim to create an environment that respects the diversity of staff, enabling them to achieve their full potential, contribute fully and derive maximum benefit and enjoyment from working at the firm.

We perceive bullying, harassment and victimisation of any individual as contradictory to our aspirations for a supportive working environment and will not be tolerated. Any allegations of such behaviour will be thoroughly investigated and handled in the appropriate manner.

We are dedicated to learning from and understanding the perspective of our employees with disabilities. We believe that having a disability should not prevent someone from reaching their full potential.

We want everyone to feel supported to bring their authentic self to work, knowing they are respected and valued for who they are.

We want all of our employees to succeed and we are committed to providing additional support and adjustments where needed.

We are dedicated to encouraging and educating all of our employees about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

We hope to provide help and advice about mental health and wellbeing to everyone, without stigma, through our caring and collaborative culture.

Our continual dedication to maintaining the right environment to support open communication is at the central to our employee wellbeing strategy.

We think it is our collective responsibility to ensure that our LGBTQ+ colleagues feel accepted, appreciated, and secure in the knowledge that they will not be marginalised or held back. Every policy, practice, or project is designed to be supportive and inclusive.

We acknowledge the following basic rights for all members of staff:

to be treated with respect and dignity
to be treated fairly with regard to all training, procedures, assessments and choices
to be encouraged to reach one’s full potential

These rights carry responsibilities and we require all members of staff to recognise these rights and act in accordance with them.

We believe that the legal sector should be accessible to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. As a firm, we believe that a person’s ability to advance in their profession should not be limited by their social, educational, or financial background.

We take a deliberate approach, taking care to evaluate what will make a difference among the most marginalised populations and we strongly believe that organisations should be attentive to their internal culture and the positive steps that could be taken to develop a more inclusive workforce.

What we have done in 2023-2024

When diversity and inclusion are at the core of the firm’s values it allows individuals, regardless of their background, to have a sense of belonging and feeling valued.

In 2023, the firm celebrated various occasions such as Diwali, Eid, Black History Month, Pride Month, Ramadan, Hanukah, and Autism Acceptance Month by promoting them throughout the firm through informative sessions and articles written by staff members.

In July 2023, the EDI committee recognised Deaf Awareness Month by providing an interactive Deaf Awareness Training session with DOT Sign Language for members of staff to attend.

In February 2024, the EDI committee recognised Ramadan by hosting a special Lunch and Learn session where members of staff shared their personal insights and experiences on the Islamic holy month of Ramadan with the rest of the firm.

In April 2024, the EDI committee invited Thames Valley Partnership to deliver a training session on Domestic Abuse Awareness. The session provided essential information on domestic abuse, including recognising signs of domestic abuse and guidance on how to offer support and appropriate resources.

In June 2024, the EDI committee will invite Andro and Eve to present an introductory training session on Gender Awareness to enable the firm to better serve and meet the needs of clients and other staff members, particularly those who fall under the Transgender* umbrella.