Social Inclusion and Mobility

Opportunity is everything, and at Ashurst we believe access to it should be equal, regardless of background, social or home situation.

We value talent, high performance and fresh perspectives in our people, and know that attracting and developing people from diverse backgrounds gives us a unique proposition of skills and mindset that better serves our clients and takes our business from strength to strength.

While there have been historic barriers to opportunity for those outside a narrow sphere of background or experience in the legal profession, we believe in providing recruitment and promotion opportunities for people from the broadest talent pools, including from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Partnering for change

As part of our 'Partnering for change' series, we spoke to our clients about the importance of social mobility. Each client spoke candidly about their personal experiences and journey to law.

Breaking the Mould

Social inclusion and mobility is linked to equality of opportunity: the extent to which people have the same chances to do well in life regardless of the socio-economic background of their parents, their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, birthplace, or other circumstances beyond their control.

We’re doing our bit to level the playing field in legal services by attracting and promoting people who perhaps don’t come from the ‘typical’ background many might expect for this industry. We’re proud to say that many of our people break this mould; and our firm is stronger for it. The contributions and value they add are invaluable and they enjoy successful and rewarding careers with us.

Hear From Our People

We’re proud to share insights from our people from London and Glasgow. Their journeys are all unique, as is the positive individual impact and value they have each created here Ashurst.

An Award-Winning Approach

Social Inclusion and Mobility is a key component of our Inclusion, Diversity & Belonging strategy.

Our Social Inclusion and Mobility Network and our Social Impact Team collaborate closely to create supportive spaces within our firm and extend our influence more widely, identifying opportunities to support young people looking to enter the legal profession.

We’re proud to say that our work in this space has been recognised with a number of awards and recognition including:

• Grand Prix for Best Social Mobility Initiative – People in Law Awards 2021
• Recruitment Programme of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2020

“We know that a sustained focus on social mobility and inclusion will improve both the experiences and engagement of our people and our business. My own experience has made me acutely aware of how important a consistent and joined up approach is to attracting people from different backgrounds and to making them feel confident, so they can flourish at work.” Nicole Williams, Counsel, Global Co-Head of Inclusion, Diversity & Belonging

At Ashurst, Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging Are At The Heart Of Everything We Do

By celebrating key events and observances, sponsoring employee networks, shaping policies and activities, building learning and understanding, and offering tools, benefits and services to our people and our clients, we aspire to bring Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging to life and foster an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all backgrounds and perspectives.

As a client or professional considering working with us, we invite you to learn more about how we value and celebrate diversity, foster inclusion, and cultivate a sense of belonging for all.

We know that by doing so, we not only provide exceptional legal services leveraging true diversity of thought and best practice in the IDB space, but also make a positive impact on the world around us.