Law Society Diversity Access Scheme awards 14 scholarships on scheme’s 20th anniversary

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The Law Society has awarded 14 scholarships to aspiring solicitors through its Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), which supports aspiring solicitors who are facing social, educational, financial or personal obstacles to qualifying.

The programme, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has spent £3.5 million, provided 4,000 hours of mentoring and supported 300 trainees since its launch.

The scheme’s alumni work across a range of different areas, for example:

• 19% are in corporate and financial services;
• 16% are in social welfare (immigration, asylum and housing);
• 10% are in family and children;
• 8% are in commercial law;
• 8% are in property law; and
• 39% work in ‘other’ areas of law.

Elli Bainton, one of the 2024 DAS awardees, said: “The DAS scholarship has provided me with the financial security and confidence to pursue a career in law. Coming from a working-class family in one of the most deprived areas of Wales and having attended a non-selective state school with no connections to the legal profession, this scholarship is truly life-changing for me.”

Law Society President Nick Emmerson said: “I am grateful to our sponsors, the Law Society Legal Educational Trust and the many mentors and work experience hosts who have made all this possible.”

Hogan Lovells is among the firms, businesses and education providers that sponsor the scheme. Christopher Hutton, social mobility partner sponsor at Hogan Lovells, said: “We are delighted to have sponsored the DAS for almost all its 20 years, to create wider access to the legal industry for those from underrepresented backgrounds.

“The success of the programme has been rooted in its varied support to awardees in the form of bursaries, mentoring and work experience – tangible elements which are key in breaking down barriers to entry.

“Many DAS awardees are now senior lawyers in institutions across our sector, which is testament to the success of the programme, and we are pleased to have been able to welcome participants into our own firm.”

The scheme is sponsored by several other organisations, including:

• BARBRI;
• Withers LLP;
• Kingsley Napley LLP;
• Nottingham Law School;
• BPP University Law School;
• The University of Law;
• QLTS School;
• The College of Legal Practice;
• University of Westminster; and
• The Law Society Educational Trust.