Law firms in education initiative

SCOTLAND’s Big Five law firms are taking part in a major UK-wide campaign launched today to open up the notoriously elitist legal profession to young people from poorer backgrounds.

Brodies, Dundas & Wilson, Maclay Murray & Spens, McGrigors and Shepherd & Wedderburn have joined 18 other law firms in signing up to “Prime”, a campaign to offer school children from less privileged communities access to work experience in the legal sector.

The law societies of Scotland, England and Wales and Northern Ireland are backing the initiative, which will also see legal practices help youngsters develop their personal and business skills.

In a joint statement, the managing partners of the Scottish firms said: “We are delighted to support the initiative, which will widen access and build on the efforts many in the legal community have made to encourage young people from less privileged backgrounds to explore career opportunities in a vibrant and dynamic sector.

“Scotland’s schools have long worked to encourage able children from all backgrounds to aspire to professional careers and we believe Prime will provide an additional way of opening minds to opportunity.”

The campaign is being chaired by David Morley, senior partner of “magic circle” firm Allen & Overy.

He said: “Prime will create a step change in the legal sector’s commitment to fairer access, giving more students their first insight into the wide variety of career opportunities available in the legal sector.”