Law Firm Recognised For Graduate And Equality Campaigns

National law firm Irwin Mitchell is celebrating after its commitment to graduate recruitment and diversity issues helped it win two prizes at a prestigious industry awards event.

The business won the Most Effective Diversity Programme – Gender, and Best Graduate Trainee Recruitment Campaign at The Lawyer’s Workplace And Diversity Awards held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel last night (February 7th) – further evidence of the outstanding work Irwin Mitchell has undertaken on both issues.

The firm’s Best Graduate Trainee Recruitment Campaign win has put the spotlight on how the restructuring of its Legal Work Placement programme has created a consistent and engaging experience for students. A Campus Ambassador programme has also been established to raise Irwin Mitchell’s profile in 17 target institutions.

Praise for the firm’s diversity programme comes less than a month after the firm was named a Star Performer and ranked in the Top 100 UK companies for equality in the workplace by campaign group Stonewall. Irwin Mitchell is also ranked in the top ten law firms for associate and partner gender diversity by the Black Solicitors Network.

Over recent years the firm has built up a network of advocates through the business who work on its Diversity Board. In 2011, the firm also revealed that over 70 per cent of associate promotions and 75 per cent of partner promotions involved women.

John Pickering, Group Chief Executive of Irwin Mitchell, said: “I’m delighted with the progress that our graduate recruitment programme has made over the last 18 months. The changes made have had a significant and very positive impact on Irwin Mitchell and it is great to see the huge strides we’ve taken being recognised like this.

“We have programmes that attract, retain and develop effectively those we see as future partners; equipping them with the skills they need to help us take on the challenges and opportunities the Legal Services Act presents. This award is excellent and our priority remains putting our people first.”

Alison Eddy, Partner and Chair of the IMPowered Group which leads on the gender diversity issue, said: “Our people are our biggest asset and it is wonderful to see IM being recognised externally for the work we do.

“Our overall number of female partners has been increasing consistently over recent years and I think this really demonstrates our meritocratic and inclusive culture where we reward our people for their contribution, achievements and skills.”

Irwin Mitchell was also shortlisted at the awards for its efforts in the areas of sexual orientation diversity and for best training initiative, in relation to the firm’s much-praised ‘IM Leadership Academy’ series of management training and development programmes.