InterLaw Diversity Forum launches revised Career Progression in the Legal Sector study

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The InterLaw Diversity Forum has launched its third Career Progression in the Legal Sector study, sponsored by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) today.

The survey explores some of the key factors that influence culture, job satisfaction and job security in the legal profession, through a diversity lens, including:

• social mobility;
• race and ethnicity;
• LGBTQ+;
• disability; and
• sex.

The intersectional focus of this study is what makes it so ground-breaking, bringing together expertise from Dr Lisa Webley, the head of Birmingham Law School and professor of legal education and research, and Dr Richard Harvey, an associate professor in the industrial-organisational programme and experimental programme at St Louis University.

Individuals working across the legal sector are encouraged to participate in the study and share their experiences by completing this short survey.

Past surveys showed blatant disparities between the markers of job satisfaction and security, such as work assignment, promotion, pay and experiences of workplace culture, when focusing on diversity, inclusion and social mobility.

Daniel Winterfeldt MBE KC (Hon), founder and chair of InterLaw Diversity Forum, commented: “The legal sector has made great strides in terms of diversity in the last two decades, but the reality is we have a long way to go before access to opportunity, career progression, and workplace cultures are truly inclusive, fair, and equitable.”

The survey has been updated to reflect three important changes:

• This year’s survey will also include business services professionals working in law firms, chambers or legal teams.
• The addition of new questions on hybrid working to help determine the successes and need for improvements in the legal sector.
• An update to the questions on social mobility to bring them in line with the revised definition of ‘socially mobile’ from the SRA and the UK government.

InterLaw Diversity Forum was founded in 2008 and now works to promote inclusion for all diverse and socially disadvantaged talent working in the legal sector, to promote meritocracy and create environments where the best talent can succeed. It now comprises more than 9,500 individuals representing more than 300 law firms and chambers and more than 500 legal businesses.