'Back yourself' - How this Big Four law firm has put diversity at the heart of its business

Jenny Dickson is the Chair of Morton Fraser MacRoberts, one of Scotland’s 'big four' independent law firms. Known as “MFMac” for short, the firm’s goal is to thrive by championing diversity and inclusion.

What do diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DI&B) mean to you, and how do they influence your leadership?

At MFMac, we talk about "belonging" a lot – DI&B is at the heart of how we operate. Growing up, I was taught the importance of your moral compass – recognising my own privilege and standing up for those who didn’t have the same advantages, something that shapes how I lead today.

As a leader, it's important to create a work environment that is characterised by inclusive and collaborative behaviour, which feeds into a sustainable and inclusive culture. When we prioritise DI&B, we don’t just improve the firm – we create a community where everyone can succeed and are more likely to make a positive contribution to the wider business community.

Jenny Dickson, Chair of Morton Fraser MacRoberts | Morton Fraser MacRoberts

The legal profession hasn’t always been diverse. What’s MFMac doing to change that?

The truth is, despite everything we have done and are committed to doing, we haven't done nearly enough yet. But we are working to tackle the lack of diversity directly. It’s not just one initiative – it’s a combination of things. For example, we use the RARE scheme in our recruitment, which looks at how socially disadvantaged candidates perform compared to their peers, factoring in any challenges they’ve had.

When it comes to promotions, we pay close attention to the numbers. If we notice that more men are moving up than women, we take another look at what we’re doing. We’re also transparent about pay gaps as it helps us see where we’re doing well and where we need to improve. It’s all about being honest and making sure we’re holding ourselves to account.

Does MFMac work with schools or universities to provide opportunities for people from less privileged backgrounds?

We can’t ignore the years of privilege, bias and discrimination that have created an unfair educational system. But we are determined to change this. 

We take part in the PRIME programme, which promotes social inclusion in law. I’m a trustee, and I’ve seen first-hand just how valuable PRIME is for students who might not otherwise have any connection to the legal world.

We have a paid internship programme with Career Ready Scotland, where we mentor two school pupils for 18 months and provide them with a paid 4-week internship next summer. We aim to give young people, no matter their background, the tools and support they need to consider a career in law.

Jenny Dickson, chair of Morton Fraser MacRoberts | Morton Fraser MacRoberts

How does MFMac make sure that diverse voices are shaping the firm’s strategy?

One way is through our employee resource groups (ERGs). We have groups covering our women’s network, ethnic minorities, parents and carers, LGBTQI+ colleagues, and others. These groups provide insights and ideas that help shape our policies – such as how we support breastfeeding mothers or ensure people who work late can get home safely. In collaboration with ERGs, we have also introduced a menopause policy offering guidance and support to employees and managers.  

We report on our progress in diversity and inclusion to the leadership team regularly to make sure we’re staying on track and keeping these values front and centre.

How do you create a sense of belonging for staff in such a high-pressure industry?

Belonging has been absent from too many firms for too long and we are working to change that.

In a high-pressure industry like law, flexibility is so important. To support everyone, we monitor working hours, offer resilience training, and provide access to counselling.

We develop an annual calendar of key events in the office that celebrate diversity and encourage discussion around issues that may arise, with our most recent being a celebration of South Asian Heritage Month. Belonging means that people feel like they can be themselves. We ensure any behaviour that goes against that is addressed and encourage open dialogue so that everyone feels comfortable speaking up.

Jenny Dickson, chair of Morton Fraser MacRoberts | Morton Fraser MacRoberts

Can you share any success stories in achieving greater inclusion at MFMac?

We are proud of several initiatives. Last year we ran a successful 'This is Me' session, exploring intergenerational LGBTIQIA+ issues and listening to personal stories from those within and outside our firm. 

We have partnered with Dyslexia Scotland to advocate for workplace adjustments for people with dyslexia. Alongside them, we are piloting 'jumbled workplaces' to help shape workplace conventions to support people with neurodiverse conditions, and we believe this will be a first for Scotland.

We've been shortlisted at the Inclusivity Excellence Awards by Employer's Network for Equality and Inclusion for the work we do on DI&B.

What broader changes would you like to see in Scotland’s business community to support DI&B better?

We need to have more open conversations and really listen to everyone. We also need to bring allies into the conversation more. For example, we always ask women what changes they need when they come back from maternity leave – but do we ask new fathers how they’re handling the change to their work-life balance?

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to leadership roles?

A lot of women struggle with self-belief and imposter syndrome. I’m seeing more confidence in the next generation, but many women still need that extra encouragement, for example, to put themselves forward for promotions. To young women, I’d say: back yourself, and don’t hesitate to go for those opportunities.

Looking forward, what’s your vision for DI&B at MFMac in the coming years?

Overcoming long-standing systems of privilege and bias requires more than commitment – it demands real change. Our aim is to create a space where everyone feels valued and can be their true selves. Belonging is at the heart of this, and we’re determined to make it a reality after years of it being overlooked across the sector – we are just getting started.