Mishcon de Reya LLP – Spotlight on Driving Social Mobility and Social Inclusion in the Workplace

Amidst the combined challenges of the pandemic and economic uncertainty, Mishcon de Reya faced the task of enhancing social mobility within the firm and the legal industry. Traditional recruitment and progression practices posed hurdles, necessitating innovative approaches to widen access and remove barriers. The firm aimed to ensure workforce diversity and foster inclusivity through collaborative efforts internally and externally. Despite challenges, Mishcon de Reya remained committed to promoting social mobility within the legal profession and broader society.

Mishcon de Reya took innovative actions to promote social mobility within the firm and the legal industry. Their social mobility committee drove goals outlined in the EDI three-year strategy to enhance access to employment and remove barriers for disadvantaged individuals. The apprenticeship scheme welcomed new cohorts annually, including legal and business operation apprentices.
Specific targets were set to increase the representation of Black and socially disadvantaged candidates in early career cohorts, utilising contextualised recruitment and mentoring schemes. External partnerships, such as with Sutton Trust, facilitated work experience programmes for students. Additionally, the “Now & Next” partnership with The Economist produced content exploring social mobility pressures.
Mishcon de Reya’s Engagement, Wellbeing, and Inclusion team supported inclusion committees and the firm’s broader goals, aligning with their mission to create a level playing field in the legal sector.

Mishcon de Reya’s employee-led internal mentoring scheme, closely monitored by the committee, proved highly beneficial, especially for trainees and apprentices. Following its success, the firm expanded its mentoring initiatives to create a firmwide inclusion mentoring scheme, aiming to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. Social mobility efforts are now integral to Mishcon de Reya’s inclusion strategy, with plans for continued embedding and sustainability as part of their ongoing review process. Seeking a better understanding of social mobility data, the firm is committed to supporting, retaining, and facilitating career progression for recruits from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Introducing the Culture Amp engagement platform further demonstrates their dedication to measuring and improving engagement across various inclusion strands, aligning with the efforts of the social mobility committee.

The information contained within this resource was accurate at the time of its publication. This article was created in March 2024.