The Firm have set a target that by 2029, at least 20% of its workforce – covering partners, managing associates, associates and trainees or apprentices – will come from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The target has been set even higher for business services roles, with an aim of at least 30%.
With action beginning last month, the firm faces a substantial task in reaching its newly-set goal. As of the beginning of the year, they reported the following statistics for representation of employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds:
Senior partner at Simmons & Simmons, Julian Taylor was vocally proud the firm's efforts, but believes there is still much more for the profession to take care of. He said:
“A career in law should not be determined by background. I’m immensely proud of the transformative social mobility programmes we have at Simmons, yet we’re acutely aware that we need to do more as a firm to ensure our workplace is more representative.
“The fact remains that the profession as a whole is one of the least diverse by socio-economic background.”
Taylor continued, referring to impact of making this information known to the public:
“Publishing these figures in a very transparent way will allow the firm to hold itself to account. These ambitious social mobility targets will ensure that we go further and faster in our efforts to widen access and opportunities,”
The legal profession has seen increased efforts to improve diversity in recent years, especially among City firms. Back in September 2024, Freshfields announced its intention to recruit at least 20% of trainees from lower socio-economic backgrounds between 2024 and 2026.
Simmons & Simmons had also set out targets to improve their ethnic and racial diversity within the firm by the end of this year.
