The Legal Social Mobility Partnership 2017

I am very proud to part of the fourth year of a work insight and skills programme delivered by the Legal Social Mobility Partnership (LSMP). The programme has not only expanded in size to reach 300 students across seven towns and cities, but also has an increased focus on supporting alumni.

With work insight weeks taking place nationally this week and next, LSMP’s main aim is to broaden access to the legal profession and develop students’ career aspirations. The programme is a collaboration between law firms and in-house legal teams as well as commercial organisations and professional sports clubs. It allows students from non-privileged backgrounds to gain an understanding of the legal profession in the context of business through intensive skills training and business games. This is strengthened by ongoing support from virtual coaches who are on hand to provide assistance with CVs, filling in application forms and interview preparation.

The scheme this year has introduced a dedicated website to provide current students of the programme and alumni greater support through a sign-up for alumni events and a ‘Find a Virtual Coach’ function. The website also includes a members’ area for participating organisations to access all the information and forms they would need to run the programme. 

This year I am leading the launch of the Brighton cluster. The LSMP initially started in London in 2014, then expanded to Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham in 2016 and Brighton, Bristol and Reading in 2017.

Barry Matthews, Director of Legal Affairs & Third Party Sales at ITV, a founding LSMP company, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved without paid staff or a formal budget, growing from providing 20 places in London in 2014 to 300 across seven towns and cities in 2017. We are all great believers in collaboration and the promotion of fairness in society. The LSMP is evidence of the power of partnerships.”

Sarah Macdonald, Chief Counsel at BT said: “It is important to BT that we play our part in creating a level playing field in the legal profession. Programmes like the LSMP give those students, who would not otherwise have access to work experience or contacts in the profession, a chance to develop their skills, broaden their horizons and build up a network of students in similar circumstances. We are proud to be supporting this excellent programme for a third year running, helping to give more students an ‘edge’ in their university applications and greater confidence to pursue the careers they seek.”

Graham Goldup, Senior Assistant Headteacher at Newman College, Hove, said: “We welcome partnership opportunities such as those that the LSMP offers as they provide students with the aspiration, experience and challenge to pursue a chosen career and develop confidence, self-belief and inspiration to achieve. Feedback from students always shows that they rise to the challenge in rigorous, well-planned opportunities and professional working environments such as this”

To find out more about how you can get involved please contact the Legal Social Mobility Partnership