Unconscious Bias for Law Firms
Practical training on what unconscious bias is, how it forms, and the concrete steps your firm can take to reduce its influence in recruitment, promotion, and daily decisions.
Duration
1 Hour
Lessons
7
CPD Hours
1
Certificate
On Completion
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Six practical outcomes from this training
Understand what unconscious bias is, how it differs from conscious prejudice, and why it affects all of us
Identify the common types of bias that operate in law firms, from recruitment through to case allocation
Recognise the real-world consequences of unconscious bias in law firms, including impact on retention and inclusion
Understand the legal and regulatory context, including SRA standards and the Equality Act 2010
Spot unconscious bias operating in everyday decisions at your firm, from meeting room dynamics to feedback
Apply practical strategies to counter bias and create systems and processes that reduce its influence
About this training
Unconscious bias affects every decision in law firms: who gets hired, who gets promoted, who gets allocated to high-profile work, and who gets offered mentoring. It shapes which voices are heard in meetings and which suggestions are taken seriously. Unlike conscious prejudice, unconscious bias operates without intent. It is a normal product of how our brains process information, but its effects are significant and measurable.
The SRA expects firms to take active steps to tackle bias and create inclusive practice. This training is designed to help your staff recognise unconscious bias where it occurs, understand why it happens, and take practical steps to reduce its influence.
The course covers what unconscious bias is, how it forms, the types of bias most common in law firms, the legal and regulatory context, and concrete strategies to counter it. It is based on evidence rather than assertion, and uses real examples from the legal profession to show how bias operates in practice.
Key topics
-
1
What is unconscious bias
-
2
How unconscious bias forms
-
3
Types of unconscious bias
-
4
Consequences of bias in the legal sector
-
5
Legal and regulatory context
-
6
Recognising bias in everyday decisions
-
7
Practical steps to counter bias
What learners say
“I thoroughly enjoyed the training for several reasons. It expanded my understanding of unconscious bias. Prior to this training, I was unaware of the multitude of biases that exist, which was truly eye-opening.”
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The SRA expects firms to have in place systems and processes to prevent discrimination, including unconscious bias. Bias affects recruitment, promotion, work allocation, and client handling. Major law firms and the best-performing legal organisations use unconscious bias training as part of their EDI strategy. It demonstrates compliance with SRA Standards and helps firms retain and develop diverse talent. This training covers practical implementation tailored to law firm contexts.
Unconscious bias can distort every hiring and promotion decision: who gets interviewed, who is remembered favourably, who gets chosen. Bias might favour candidates from certain universities, assume seniority based on presentation style, overlook achievements from underrepresented groups, or assume capability based on appearance or accent. These effects compound over time. Women, people from ethnic minorities, and disabled lawyers experience lower retention and progression rates partly because of unconscious bias. This training helps firms recognise these patterns and implement structured decision-making.
The SRA does not mandate a specific course but requires firms to comply with the law and have procedures in place to prevent discrimination. Unconscious bias training is increasingly expected practice and is recognised as strong evidence of a firm's commitment to equality. The SRA can investigate complaints of discrimination, including cases involving bias. Training shows the SRA your firm is taking equality seriously.
Use structured processes: standardised job descriptions and questions, diverse interview panels, blind CVs where possible, clear scoring criteria, documented decisions. Train panels on bias and interview technique. Be intentional about widening recruitment beyond networks. Monitor who applies, who gets interviewed, and who gets hired. Track patterns by background. Make accountability explicit. Change recruitment partner if diversity outcomes do not improve. This training covers these strategies and how to embed them in your firm's recruitment practice.
Awareness alone does not change behaviour. Effective diversity training has two goals: (1) individual awareness of unconscious bias and how it operates; (2) knowledge of what systemic solutions look like and how to advocate for them. The goal is not to make people feel guilty but to equip them to recognise bias and work toward fairer processes. This training is evidence-based and designed for legal sector contexts with real examples and practical strategies.
Related training
Related services
Briefed offers advisory, audit, and policy services alongside training. If your firm needs support beyond eLearning, we can help.