Diversity Access Scheme provides talented students opportunity to enter the legal profession

News

The Law Society of England and Wales has today launched the Diversity Access Scheme (DAS) for 2025, inviting talented aspiring solicitors to apply for this year’s cohort.

The DAS aims to promote social mobility and increase diversity within the legal profession by supporting individuals who face social, educational, financial or personal challenges to qualifying as a solicitor.

Together with DAS sponsors, the Law Society has invested £3.5 million in the scheme to date, supporting more than 300 aspiring solicitors to complete their legal education and providing 4,000 hours of mentoring. Since 2020, 26 of DAS awardees have started or completed training contracts and a further 11 have secured qualifying work experience.

The scheme is open to aspiring solicitors seeking to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) who need help with funding, accessing high quality, paid work experience opportunities and meaningful mentoring who might otherwise struggle to get the support that they need to succeed.

Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “The Diversity Access Scheme has the power to transform people’s lives, not just through funding but also through the individual support offered.

“DAS recipients come from all corners of the profession, including City firms, in-house teams, banking and legal aid centres. We hope to make 15 DAS awards this Summer.”

Rebekah Brown who received the award in 2024 said: “Growing up in a low-income household in a deprived area of Liverpool, and managing the challenges of a physical disability, I have faced various barriers throughout my academic journey.

“Following four years of academic legal study, I was thrilled to receive support from the Law Society to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and qualifying work experience.”

2024 award recipient Victoria Adebayo said: “The continued support from the DAS team has made all the difference — they are always there to provide encouragement and make you feel comfortable in an often challenging field."

Managing director of legal at UBS investment bank, a DAS sponsor, Bert Suer said: “We believe that the Law Society’s scheme benefits a diverse range of exceptionally talented young people who might not otherwise go into the law due to factors outside their control. The DAS is open, fair, rigorous and really makes a difference.”

Another proud sponsor of the DAS is UK law firm Sackers. Sarah Pearman, senior HR manager at Sackers, said: “Meeting some of the awardees and hearing their stories is humbling. Seeing what a difference the DAS has made to their lives really cements why we support this brilliant scheme.

“Our staff also enjoy supporting the awardees through mentoring and hosting work experience students, which is a great way for them to develop their skills in new areas too.”

Notes to editors

Applications are open from 5 February to 23 March 2025

Find out more about the Diversity Access Scheme

Find out how to support the Diversity Access Scheme

Find out about the SQE

All inquiries about the scheme from potential participants or sponsors can be sent to Leila Lesan

The Diversity Access Scheme is sponsored by:

• NatWest

• Kingsley Napley

• UBS

• Withers

• Hogan Lovells

• Sackers

• S Abraham Solicitors

• BPP University

• University of Law

• Westminster University

• Barbri

• QLTS School

• Nottingham Trent University

• The College of Legal Practice

• The Blackwell Trust

Special thank you to: The family of Davina Ruprah for their generous donation to the 2025 round of Diversity Access Scheme applications in her memory and Reena Parmer, for donating her speaking fees to the DAS over 2023-2024.