Law Firm Scoops Award For Its Diversity And Inclusion Work

National law firm Irwin Mitchell’s success in promoting diversity and inclusion has been recognised again, after the firm walked away with the Gold Award at the 2020 In-House Recruitment Awards.

To win gold in the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging category, Irwin Mitchell had to demonstrate the consistency, sustainability and creativity required to attract and engage an inclusive workforce, including evidence of the positive impact of diversity on the firm’s overall success.

The recognition comes in a year where the firm has continued to enhance its diversity and inclusion credentials, including the launch of a new parental portal and being named a great place to work for women by the Great Place To Work Institute, plus featuring in the prestigious Times Top 50 Employers for Women list, thanks to the ongoing push for gender equality.

Irwin Mitchell also signed Business in the Community’s Race at Work charter earlier this year and set out its commitment to improving diversity further, including inviting all colleagues to Let’s Talk About Race events.

By continuing to champion gender balance and diversity, the Irwin Mitchell now boasts one of the lowest gender pay gaps in the legal sector. Female colleagues account for 70 per cent of the workforce and enjoy high representation at senior levels throughout the firm, making up 40 per cent of the Exec Board.

The In-House Recruitment Awards are open to any company or individual producing work specifically to recruit new talent, with the 21 categories judged by a panel of talent acquisition professionals from major companies and some of the UKs leading recruitment specialists.

Mark Gilbertson, Head of Talent Acquisition at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We have been working for several years on making Irwin Mitchell an inclusive and diverse workplace, so we are pleased and proud to have been recognised once again in 2020 for our efforts in this area.

“Despite the challenges faced by everyone this year, we have continued to make progress, reflected in the opinions of our colleagues in the latest Great Place To Work Survey. In the In-House Recruitment Awards, we are showcasing the success of our programmes aimed at support for colleagues and attracting those wishing to join a progressive forward thinking law firm.

“There absolutely remains work to do, but this award shows we are making tangible progress in delivering greater opportunities for our colleagues and attracting the new legal talent that will be invaluable as we continue to serve our clients and communities in the years ahead.”