Magic circle firm wants more working class lawyers

Slaughter and May have also issued the target of increasing LSEB representation for the whole firm to 25 per cent by 2023 from a baseline of 18.8 per cent.

Currently, employees working in supporting services such as business development and IT have a greater LSEB representation at 34 per cent, which the firm wishes to ramp up to 40 per cent over the next decade.

The Magic Circle is an informal term coined in the 1990s to denote the five most prestigious London-headquartered multinational law firms.

The law firms include Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May.

Steve Cook, senior partner at Slaughter and May, said: “We want to be more intentional in our continued search for talent to ensure we bring the best people into our business.

“The targets we have announced today, together with others we have set in relation to gender and ethnicity, are part of an overall approach to ensure we are reaching the widest possible talent pool.”

Slaughter and May claim to encourage LSEB graduates to apply through offers of financial support, its scholarship scheme, and by embracing contextual recruitment strategies.

The Social Mobility Commission has been full of praise for Slaughters new social mobility targets.

It said: "The Social Mobility Commission recommends that employers collect SEB data to understand organisational diversity and inform an action plan.

“When targets are set, best practice is to base them on benchmarks that reflect the requirements of the role, in order that they do not undermine a meritocratic recruitment and progression process.

“The thorough benchmarking analysis that Slaughter and May have undertaken sets a new standard for the sector."

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In the wider sector, the firm Squire Patton Boggs has ring fenced 75 per cent of its internship places for disadvantaged students, excluding vacations schemes.

Meanwhile, Ropes & Gray has launched a social mobility work experience programme of its own in London.

Deborah Finkler, Managing Partner at Slaughter and May said: “Tracking the socio-economic make up of our workforce over a long period of time means that we have confidence in the data we are using to set these public targets and measure our progress.

“This focus and transparency means we can hold ourselves accountable and sends a clear message about our intentions to enhance and maintain a diverse workforce.”