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07 December 2022
Categories: Legal News , Profession , Diversity , Equality
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Diversity Taskforce: smashing the class ceiling

50% of senior leaders in the financial and professional services sector should come from a non-professional background by 2030, the City of London’s Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce has urged in its final report.

Welcoming the report, published last week, Lubna Shuja, president of the Law Society, said: ‘Where you start in life should not determine where you end up.’

The Taskforce has set out a five-point pathway to boost social mobility: assigning accountability to senior leaders; collecting data on employee backgrounds within the next two years; taking action to increase diversity at senior levels and monitoring what works; setting goals; and publishing data.

Shuja said: ‘The legal sector is leading on diversity data collection, including socio-economic background, as this is mandatory for law firms.

‘We know there is already great work underway to remove barriers to entry and progression for solicitors from non-professional backgrounds. Our focus will be on supporting firms to set their own goals for success and publishing their data in the coming years.’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth

NEWS
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The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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