Becoming a solicitor as a black, Asian and minority ethnic student

On this page:

• Ethnic diversity in the profession
• Challenging assumptions and overcoming barriers
• Securing a training opportunity
• Ethnic minority support networks
• Useful contacts
• Funding opportunities
• About the Law Society Ethnic Solicitors Network

Ethnic diversity in the profession

Our 2022 annual statistics report revealed that 18% of the profession is made up of solicitors from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Challenging assumptions and overcoming barriers

The journey to a legal career can be a challenging experience for all aspiring solicitors.

As a minority ethnic student, the competitive environment may feel even more overwhelming, with the challenge of having to overcome barriers often based on assumptions, lack of representation and lack of knowledge.

The good news is that employers and the legal sector have recognised the benefits of having solicitors from diverse backgrounds and are increasingly committed to recruiting candidates who can help shape a dynamic and diverse workforce.

Securing a training opportunity

Research

Understanding the legal sector and the many ways in which law can be practised is a key first step and research is the best way to get this insight.

The legal sector is vast and there are many ways in which a solicitor can practise law in England and Wales. You can be a private practice or in-house solicitor.

One of the attractions of becoming a solicitor are the different types of work:

• working in a large commercial firm advising on corporate transactions such as takeovers and mergers
• based in a small law firm which specialises in advising clients on family, immigration or criminal legal issues

There are also opportunities as a solicitor to work in house for a company or act as a legal adviser for a local authority or a government legal department.

After seven years experience, solicitors can also join the judiciary and become a judge.

We provide targeted support to minority ethnic solicitors who are interested in becoming a judge through its annual becoming a judge workshops programme.

Once you understand the sector, you should explore your specific motivations and skills for wanting to have a legal career.

A legal career whilst being rewarding can be tough and so it’s important for all aspiring solicitors to be clear on the reasons as to why they want to have a career in law.

There are some questions you will typically be asked in applications, assessments and interviews, such as:

• what are your motivations for wanting to have a legal career?
• what skills do you currently have and to what extent do they align with a legal career?
• why law over any other career?

You should plan your responses to these questions to prepare.

Build confidence

Have confidence in yourself and what you can achieve. If you’re talented, you have as much right to choose a law career as anyone else, so don’t be put off and don’t under-value yourself.

Confidence is a skill that can be learnt but you may need to go out of your comfort zone to achieve it.

You should start by networking and public speaking. It can seem daunting but the more you put yourself out there, the easier it becomes to make connections.

You should meet peers and mentors and ultimately build your network, which is invaluable when trying to enter the profession.

Being well prepared is also a confidence-booster. If you’re on top of your game, you’ll perform better in exams and interviews.

If you can show a deep understanding of your chosen field, firm culture and client base, you’ll impress prospective employers and clients.

Be proactive

Opportunities rarely present themselves without effort, so you need to seek out your own.

Have the self-belief to put yourself forward for opportunities for career development or advancement — after all, if you don’t ask, often you don’t get.

Minority ethnic students sometimes have to push harder to get what they want — but there will be many people willing to help you.

Make sure you know what you need to do to succeed. Speak to lawyers, attend law firm events whenever you get the opportunity and keep on top of current affairs and their likely impact on the legal industry.

Find a mentor if you can who can offer you valuable advice, guidance and support.

When seeking advice, its always worthwhile noting the individual and their role and seniority.

For example, if you have specific questions about a recruitment process, these may be more appropriate directly at someone in recruitment rather than a partner.

Build a network

Drawing upon the knowledge of others – it may be daunting, but it’s all about proactivity, tenacity and confidence – introduce yourself to people and keep the conversations going. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help.

Nowadays there are considerably more social enterprises, networks and organisations that are committed to assisting aspiring solicitors pursuing a legal career, with many focusing on black, Asian and minority ethnic students.

Use the resources available to you – explore our resources.

Utilise your background

See your background as an advantage – now more than ever, law firms are searching for the unique insights and experiences minority ethnic students can provide.

It could be an additional language, cultural and religious understanding or anything else unique to your background.

Having a first language that is not English could help you market yourself where there are emerging economies which UK firms and organisations want to access; for example, where Arabic, Hindu, or Mandarin could help.

Your skills and knowledge can help law firms win clients. Show them how you can help – putting together pitches for new contracts and forging close links with representatives from global organisations.

You should not feel shy about promoting your abilities and insights as valuable assets, both at the interview stage and throughout your career progression.

Making connections

Forging our own connections is key at every level of your career. Take every opportunity to meet new people at work, networking events and conferences.

Anyone, senior or junior — could be a useful contact. Smart professionals know this and will be pleased to meet you, so don’t be afraid to introduce yourself.

Join professional groups and get involved with their activities. You can use LinkedIn to connect with other solicitors.

Attending events is also a great way to build your skills and there are many to choose from.

You’ll hear the words ‘continuous professional development’ a lot during your career, but it’s more than just a point-scoring exercise.

Minority ethnic students sometimes miss out on opportunities other peers might have had, so take every chance that’s offered to go on courses, workshops or seminars to plug any gaps and to develop specialist skills or knowledge that will give you an edge.

Perseverance

Such is the competition for training positions it may take longer, and the journey may not be as easy as it is for others, but if you persevere it is achievable.

If possible, ask for feedback so that you can learn from your experiences for when the next opportunity comes along.

Don't forget the soft skills.

Competition is fierce and nobody is the finished article when they apply, but focusing on developing the soft skills will help you to stand out.

Soft skills include commercial awareness, organisational skills, communication skills and attention to detail.

Seminars, events and extra courses are great ways to start.

Minority ethnic support networks

Ethnic Solicitors Network – events, webinars, training and meet ups

Audience: solicitors from minority ethnic backgrounds

10,000 Black Interns – paid internships

Audience: black students and graduates

Society of Caribbean Lawyers – support and a mentoring scheme

Audience: lawyers of Caribbean heritage

Black Solicitors Network – represents interests of black solicitors

Audience: black solicitors

Black Solicitors Network North

Audience: black solicitors

Black Counsel Forum – annual event for black legal professionals to connect

Audience: black lawyers

Black Lawyers Circle – training, guidance, networking and mentorship

Audience: black lawyers - solicitors, barristers and legal executives

The Mentors Collective – non-profit organisation focused on addressing the lack of diversity in the legal profession

Audience: aspiring solicitors from traditionally unrepresented backgrounds

Black Lawyers Matter (by the Stephen James Partnership) – mentoring, vacation schemes and internships

Audience: aspiring and qualified black lawyers 

Society of Asian Lawyers – represents interests of Asian lawyers

Audience: Asian lawyers

Black Men in Law – network that aims to uplift, inspire, connect and support black men who work in the legal profession and those who want to enter it

Audience: black male lawyers and aspiring lawyers

Black Women’s Law Network – fostering personal and professional growth

• Instagram
• X (formerly Twitter)

Audience: black female lawyers and aspiring lawyers

The British Nigeria Law Forum – independent body seeking to connect UK and Nigerian lawyers

Audience: legal students and professionals in the UK and Nigeria

Birmingham Black Lawyers – networking legal community

Audience: black lawyers in Birmingham and aspiring lawyers

Association of Asian Women Lawyers – non-profit organisation

Audience: Asian women lawyers and aspiring lawyers

Midlands Asian lawyers’ Association – networking

Audience: Asian lawyers 

Hindu Lawyers’ Association – networking and events

Audience: Asian Hindu women lawyers 

Association of Muslim Lawyers – networking and events

Audience: Muslim students and lawyers 

Society of Bangladeshi Solicitors 

Audience: Bangladeshi solicitors

UK Society of Chinese Lawyers – networking

Audience: Chinese lawyers 

Useful contacts;

Rare

Rare Recruitment is a diversity company. It specialises in gender and racial diversity, graduate recruitment, student mentoring and development, candidate sourcing and headhunting.

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO)

SEO is a charity that prepares talented students from underrepresented backgrounds for career success through industry-specific education and training programmes.

Lawcare

LawCare promotes and supports better mental health across the legal sector.

The charity offers free, confidential emotional support, peer support, and information for people working in legal sector in the UK. 

Sutton Trust Pathways to Law

Pathways to Law provides support in accessing higher education, training in soft skills, and understanding careers in Law with work experience opportunities.

Interlaw Diversity Forum 

The InterLaw Diversity Forum supports all strands of diversity and inclusion personnel in the legal sector, with a particular focus on cultural change in the workplace, multiple identities and intersectionality.

GROW Mentoring

GROW is a registered charity which supports social mobility, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. The organisation provides access to law through mentorship and community.

The 93% Club

The 93% Club is a student-run charity that aims to provide opportunities and a network for state school–educated university students in the United Kingdom.

It has chapters at 45 universities in the UK and has reached more than 10,000 students.

Funding opportunities

Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship

The Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme is designed to address the disproportionate under-representation in large commercial law firms and other City institutions of black men from less socially mobile backgrounds.

The scheme is aimed at eligible first year law students at participating universities nationwide, and other first year students at a small group of those universities.

Rare and Herbert Smith Freehills

The Roger Leyland Memorial Excel Scholarship is an exclusive scholarship, developed by Rare and Herbert Smith Freehills, to provide exceptional black and minority ethnic students with a high level of financial support and unique access to work experience opportunities.

The scholarship is open to first year black and minority ethnic (BAME) students interested in a career in commercial law. You must be a Rare candidate in order to apply.

Law Society Diversity Access Scheme

The Diversity Access Scheme (DAS) is a unique scholarship programme, designed to address key barriers to the solicitors’ profession faced by those from less advantaged backgrounds.

Aspiring solicitors’ scholarship

Aspiring solicitors helps aspiring trainee and qualified solicitors from diverse backgrounds prepare for and secure work placements, vacation schemes, training contracts and associate roles with some of the UK and Ireland's top law firms, legal departments and in-house legal teams.

It also provides a limited number of scholarships.

Dentons Now to Next scholarship

Dentons is a leading law firm.

The Dentons Now to Next BME scholarship is a programme that provides financial support to under-represented Black, African and Minority Ethnic (BAME) law students in the UK.

The scholarship programme is aimed at individuals who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to a career in law.

The scholarship includes financial support of £2,500, paid each academic year, a guaranteed place on Dentons insight events and exclusive access to mentoring and regular meetings with Dentons Early Careers team and trainees.