Herbies launches diversity scheme in response to Milburn report
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Herbert Smith has set up a brand new initiative to help Sixth Formers in some of London’s most deprived boroughs to break into the legal profession.
The City firm’s ’Networked’ programme, which is being run in partnership with The Brokerage Citylink, will support five Year 12 students from five different London schools over a five-year period. Potential scholars will be selected to apply to participate in the programme in November and will be invited to a careers day in early 2011.
Herbert Smith managing partner David Willis said: “Networked is about identifying young people at A Level who are capable of having a successful career in an organisation such as Herbert Smith and supporting them through their studies and the early stages of their working life. It’s not about creating future lawyers, although we’d be delighted if some of our scholars chose that path.”
Social mobility tsar Alan Milburn published a report in July 2009 in which he singled out the legal profession as being a closed shop to those from poorer backgrounds.
As part of the programme the students will have access to a mentor, a three-week internship at Herbert Smith and an annual bursary for the duration of their degree. The scholars will also receive support in areas such as interview techniques and soft skills training.
The five schools participating in the programme are Thomas Tallis (Greenwich), Highbury Grove School (Islington), Greig City Academy (Haringey), City of London Academy (Southwark) and Dunraven School (Lambeth).
But do you know what working as a lawyer actually involves? And are you sure of the steps you have to take to qualify as a solicitor or barrister?
Readers' comments (3)
Sceptical, of Chancery Lane | 23-Sep-2010 4:23 pm
Without state grammar schools, there will never be significant social mobility of children from poorer backgrounds into the upper echelons of the profession (yes there are exceptions, but note the use of the word 'significant').
Initiatives like this are just tokenistic, but Herbies have got to be commended for at least trying something.
It should be government's role to ensure social mobility, though, not that of individual law firms.
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Tim | 24-Sep-2010 10:20 am
I agree entirely with the above comments.
I do commend Herbies on this initiative but I cannot help view it as anything but tokenistic. However, if this does give a foot up to a couple of kids from state schools then I think they do deserve some credit.
This initiative, however, does nothing to help address the institutionalised hurdles (coming in a variety of forms that I could talk about but will not do so here) that prevent the entry and progression of capable and hard working comprehensive schooled individuals into and within City law firms.
When Herbies can say that, say, 40% (not that high is it?) of their trainee intake is made up of boys and girls educated solely in the state/comprehensive school system then I will doff my cap.
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Anonymous | 24-Sep-2010 2:58 pm
I again, agree with the above posts.
Unfortunately, all magic circle have these reputations and any similar initiatives they try to launch will probably be met with scepticism.
Also, one of the schools is Highbury Grove in Islington. Hardly one of the "most deprived boroughs"....The school also did very well in GCSEs and A levels so not sure what Herbies intends to do here.
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