Law firm Osborne Clarke has launched and expanded several engagement programmes to invest in early-stage talent and support black and ethnic minority students.
The international firm, which has its headquarters in Finzels Reach, Bristol, has done this as part of its Race Action Plan, which aims to develop and broaden the recruitment talent pool and increase ethnic minority representation.
"As we approach the end of the year, it's wonderful to celebrate the progress we're making in creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace, where black and ethnic minority colleagues can thrive. We continue to grow representation and improve engagement, and we are only just getting started ", said Bola Gibson, Osborne Clarke's head of responsible business.
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She added: "In March this year, we introduced our long-term Race Action Plan. The plan identified areas where we need greater focus to deliver equitable outcomes. There's no quick fix and it's an ongoing journey – but we are taking meaningful action to effect real change.
"Underrepresentation persists in the legal sector and the pipeline of talent into partnership can be difficult to tackle. By actively investing in early-stage talent programmes, it helps us to diversify our talent pipeline and we're already beginning to see positive outcomes."
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Osborne Clarke has launched a pilot programme, Osborne Clarke Scholars, a multi-year scholarship, mentoring and personal development programme for university students from racial and ethnic minority communities interested in pursuing a career in private practice.
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The firm has also welcomed eight university students from an ethnic minority background who are interested in pursuing a career in law on its OC REACH Talent Programme. Driven by the firm's race and ethnicity network, the programme provides a week's work experience with skills workshops, one-to-one-sessions and an opportunity to gain insight into working at a leading international law firm.
Having welcomed its second #10KBI cohort earlier this year, Osborne Clarke broadened the programme to include a number of client placements to further enrich the interns' experiences. Across its Bristol, Reading and London offices, the firm welcomed 12 interns for the six-week programme in legal and business services teams.
In addition to these recruitment initiatives, the firm also runs inclusion allies and reverse mentoring programmes to support retention and inclusion, as well as the Osborne Clarke Careers Programme to support development and progression of ethnic minority talent.