Legal Social Mobility Programme continues to grow as scheme expands to Bristol, Brighton and Reading

Now in its fourth year, the Legal Social Mobility Programme (LSMP) has increased its reach to 300 students from non-privileged backgrounds across seven towns and cities, broadening their access to the legal profession and developing their career aspirations.

Already running in London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham, the LSMP has now expanded to Bristol, Brighton and Reading. The programme provides students with private practice and in-house work experience, as well as workshops on developing vital skills such as networking and resilience to give them a wider understanding of legal careers.

This year the LSMP increased their alumni support with the introduction of a website that provides ‘virtual coaches’ who can offer assistance with interview preparation, applications and CVs to those who have taken part in the scheme. Seventy organisations were involved in providing these opportunities including companies like ITV, Barclays and BT, and law firms such as Bird & Bird and Eversheds. The achievements of the LSMP scheme were recognised by several award programmes, including winning the Solicitors Journal Diversity Scheme of the Year award 2017.

Sarah Macdonald, chief counsel at BT, said: “It is important to BT that we play our part in creating a level playing field in the legal profession. Programmes like the LSMP give those students, who would not otherwise have access to work experience or contacts in the profession, a chance to develop their skills, broaden their horizons and build up a network of students in similar circumstances.”

Karen Chamberlain, deputy head at Lilian Baylis Technology School, London, said: “We have been taking part in the LSMP for several years and our students have really benefitted from their experiences. It has helped raise the ambitions of our aspiring lawyers and help them better prepare for their future legal careers, including helping them decide what career path they want to pursue and which courses are best to gain entry to this career. Those who have taken part in previous years have successfully gained places on law degree courses at Russell Group universities. Without opportunities such as, this they would have little or no exposure to this profession.”

For more information about what it is like to take part in the LSMP, read this LCN Says by Shama Aktar, “LSMP: a window into the world of law”.