Ways to improve social mobility in the legal profession
Law firms advised that in order to move the dial on socio-economic diversity they will need to adapt their culture
Managing all types of diversity has long been seen as a strategic imperative for organisational development due to its impact on engagement and discretionary effort, talent management, and workplace efficiency. While discussions about diversity have increased in the UK over the past 20 years, socioeconomic diversity has historically been understudied and underappreciated, despite its strong relationship with educational, employment, and societal development aspirations.
London Business School’s Leadership Institute, which currently has a special focus on researching the impact of social exclusion, recently joined forces with social equality researchers The Bridge Group and O Shaped, an organisation that advises on culture change, leadership effectiveness, and talent management to help the legal profession become better at socioeconomic inclusion. The Institute convened a workshop showcasing research and practical interventions aimed at helping law firms create an inclusive and socioeconomically diverse workplace.
The workshop focused on developing an inclusive workplace culture and progression practices to support social mobility within the legal sector. Specific suggestions included clarification of definitions of talent, along with greater transparency about work allocation, progression, and promotion. Equally, networking and social events could be made more inclusive, and work experience and internships made more realistic.
Dr Penelope Griffin of the Bridge Group outlined the findings of their earlier research with consortia of leading law firms (2018 and 2020). Workforce data indicated that while lawyers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds performed better than their more privileged peers, they were less likely to stay and took longer to progress to partner. Interviewees spoke of feeling held back by the “dominant culture” and the “illusion of meritocracy”.
In addition to the suggestions above, Dr Griffin advocated making work experience more realistic:
“It’s tempting to focus on the glamorous tasks and rewards, but work experience should also equip young people to recognise unacceptable behaviour and know where in the firm to go for advice.”
As Randall S. Peterson, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at LBS and Academic Director of the Leadership Institute summarized:
“If you want to be worldclass you have to be diverse. It comes down to how you manage it and the culture you create. A strong culture typically promotes motivation and commitment to the firm. It also helps people to understand what is important in the organisation and provides an effective control mechanism in that it tells people what to do. Law firms should be encouraging a growth mindset as learning cultures outperform performance cultures. Education and learning, skills development and behaviour change all lead to culture change. Most everything is changeable with a bit of effort."
