Black History Month UK

The month of October marks Black History Month in the UK, it offers the opportunity to ‘share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture’. It is important to celebrate past, present and future generations. Acknowledging and reflecting on the past is vital, so that we can prevent such devastating acts of aggression from taking place in the future.

Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987, just over 60 years after the event began in the US. Each year undertakes a different theme, with the theme of this year being ‘Reclaiming Narratives’. A compelling theme that focuses on accurately sharing Black stories that have previously been misrepresented and overlooked, and celebrating Black heritage and culture.

Currently in the legal sector there is a substantial disparity between the number of ethnic minority lawyers and white lawyers. In recent years the figure has increased, in 2023 it was reported that lawyers from ethnic minority backgrounds represent a proportion of 19%, whilst the continually rising number is promising there is still a long way to go. It has been noted that, on average, the larger the law firm, the lower the proportion of lawyers from ethnic minority backgrounds. In larger firms, the figure is recorded at 15%, compared to a much higher figure of 39% in single partner firms. The reasoning behind this is unclear, however it undoubtedly raises the question about why are magic circle firms so poorly underrepresent ethnic minority individuals within their workforce?

A more diverse workforce reaps considerable benefits for firms, as it guarantees that they are better able to serve clients. Improving diversity plays an integral role in bridging cultural and linguistic gaps that may exist between legal professionals and clients from marginalised backgrounds.

There have been many outstanding individuals who have paved the way, breaking through significant boundaries in doing so, for Black individuals aspiring to have a legal career. We are going to explore and highlight some of these incredible individuals in the rest of this article.

Christian Frederic Cole:

Christian Frederic Cole is a prominent legal figure who has made a lasting impact through his determination and efforts. He became the first Black African to be awarded a degree from the University of Oxford, after he came to England in 1873 to study classics. Originally from Sierra Leone, he did not come from wealth and supported himself through teaching music and preparing new students for entrance exams, during his studies. He was called to the bar in 1883, 10 years after his arrival at the prestigious university, where he became England’s first Black Barrister.

Dame Linda Dobbs DBE:

In 2004, Dame Linda Dobbs DBE became the first Black person to become a High Court Judge in the UK, she later stepped down in 2013 to pursue various other legal interests. Prior to this appointment, she held a successful career at the Bar and obtained various achievements, including setting up the Criminal Bar Association’s first Equality and Diversity sub-committee in 2003 during her time as Chairman. Dame Linda Dobbs has previously been named as one of Britain’s most powerful Black women and one of the 100 Great Black Britons.

Jessikah Inaba:

Jessikah Inaba is an incredible role model, only at the very beginning of her career, who has already shown exceptional perseverance. At just 23, she became the first Black and blind Barrister in Britain after 5 years of studying. In order to complete her course, she created her own Braille materials from lecture notes, and passages which she asked her friends to read aloud to her. Her tenacity and endurance meant that she did not let her disability prevent her from achieving her dream and aiming high.

In consideration of all of this, it is vital to dig deeper and analyse what is already being done as well as what could be done to further improve the diversity efforts of firms. There are currently programmes in place in the UK that support Black individuals in accessing jobs within the legal sector. 10,000 Black Interns provide paid internships for Black students and graduates across a range of UK industries, including In-House Law and Private Practice. Furthermore, the Black Solicitors Network actively advocates for increased representation of Black Solicitors at all levels of the legal profession through offering networking opportunities, career support and promoting diversity policies.

To conclude, the legal sector still has a long way to go in advancing ethnic minority representation. To effectively do this, firms must recognise the power and significance of representation, addressing challenges, enhancing equal access to justice and influencing legal policy. This should be made a priority when firms consider applications, it should be, if not already, made extremely high on the agenda.