Solicitors for Social Mobility – The Ambassadors Project

  • 23/04/2015

national law society - equality

 

 

 

 

There are accomplished and talented individuals from all walks of life within the profession. Many will have experienced and overcome socio-economic hurdles in the pursuit of their career ambitions and professional success.

Through celebrating the success of these solicitors, showcasing their achievements and sharing their stories, we want to inspire potential entrants from all backgrounds and show them that the profession welcomes talent and hard work above all else.

These solicitors will be our Social Mobility Ambassadors (‘Ambassadors’).

The Ambassadors

The Law Society will select ten Ambassadors across England and Wales from a range of sectors and organisations, including City firms, Law Centres, in-house and high street firms across all levels of experience.

All the Ambassadors will have:

  • · attended a non-fee paying school; and
  • · been part of the first generation in their immediate family to attend higher education; and
  • · faced and overcome socio-economic barriers in pursuit of their legal education and career.

The project

We will highlight the importance of social diversity within the profession and celebrate our Social Mobility Ambassadors through:

launching an exhibition of professionally shot photographic portraits of the Ambassadors at the Law Society Excellence Awards 2015;

developing a brand new webpage featuring filmed interviews with the Ambassadors alongside a virtual exhibition of their portraits and biographies.

producing booklets featuring the photographs and interviews with the Ambassadors, which will be distributed at the Excellence Awards and at various university and school events.

It is proposed that the Ambassadors Project runs on an annual basis, as a celebration of social diversity and meritocracy in the profession. Each year 10 more inspiring solicitors will be nominated, thereby creating a ‘bank’ of highly visible Ambassadors.

What will becoming a Social Mobility Ambassador involve?

1. The Ambassadors will have to be available for the photography shoot and to film their interview. This will take between half a day and a full day.

2. The project will involve the Ambassadors sharing information about their background – specifically the hurdles they faced in pursuing their legal education and career and how they overcame them.

We will not ask the Ambassadors to share more information than they are comfortable with; however the information they share should be authentic and resonate with young people and students from less privileged backgrounds.

3. We will invite our Ambassadors to come along to future Law Society events relating to social mobility or diversity, either to speak as part of a panel or simply to attend and enjoy the event.

What’s in it for the Ambassadors?

Through sharing their experiences, the Ambassadors will have the opportunity to provide inspiration and advice to less privileged young people.

  • · The Ambassadors will have the opportunity to have their views heard on issues relating to fair access and social mobility in the profession.
  • · The Ambassadors will come away with a digital copy of a beautifully shot photograph of themselves, taken by a professional photographer.

We will be inviting our Ambassadors to the launch of the Social Mobility Ambassadors project at the 2015 Excellence Awards, as our guests. The Awards are a fantastic event celebrating the very best of the profession. They will be held on 22 October.

Could you be an Ambassador?

If you would like to put yourself forward to become an Ambassador, please fill in the application form HERE and send it to:

[email protected] by 30 April 2015.

All information submitted will be kept confidential.