We are delighted to announce that Cordella Bart-Stewart, Tribunal Judge (Immigration and Asylum) and director and co-founder of the Black Solicitors Network (BSN), has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours list for services to the Legal Profession and to Diversity and Education. Congratulating Cordella Bart-Stewart OBE, Paulette Mastin, Chair of…
The Black Solicitors Network received the Highly Commended recognition in the category of Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion at The Law Society’s Excellence Awards 2020 virtual ceremony on Tuesday 13 October, which is fantastic news. BSN were highly commended for our outstanding work in raising awareness, influencing the legal sector and demonstrating effective action for…
We are excited to announce that BSN has been shortlisted for a prestigious Law Society Excellence Award – Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion! This award showcases successful and innovative examples of best practice in the promotion of diversity, inclusion and social mobility, which is so important, now more than ever. Law Society of England and Wales president Simon…
The Law Society is trying to understand the impact that the drop in billing due to Covid-19 has had on SMPs. If you would like to participate and are happy to talk to the Law Society, please answer the below questions by e-mail: defendinglegalaid@lawsociety.org.uk Has your SMP been cut by the LAA since the start…
Please click here for a downloadable pdf copy of BSN’s Open Letter Dear Law Firms and legal services providers, The tragedy of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of those who are meant to protect and to serve and the ensuing outpouring across the world has led to a surge of “courageous conversations” in the…
Do you work closely with Junior Lawyers? If so, SBA – The Solicitors’ Charity needs your help in reaching those at the start of their careers. Please share this post with your colleagues. By now, you may be aware of SBA’s COVID-19 Support Hub and £1 million Personal Hardship Fund for those affected by coronavirus. Since launching these a few months…
A national Interview Protocol between National Police Chiefs’ Council, Crown Prosecution Service, The Law Society, Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association and London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association has been agreed. This guidance is intended to assist investigators and prosecutors in deciding whether suspects should be interviewed as part of a police investigation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This…
Creating Pathways was conceived in 2014, and is considered the first initiative of its kind for BAME lawyers working in private practice and in-house. BAME lawyers suffer higher attrition rates than their non-BAME colleagues. In response to this stark truth, the Creating Pathways programme is designed to fuel the pipeline of BAME lawyers into partnership…
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UK Diversity Legal Awards. An initiative of the Black Solicitors Network, these Awards remain the only industry awards in the UK which focus solely on recognising, promoting and celebrating outstanding achievement in equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession. 2019 is a bumper year for these…
Article for the Chartered Management Institute, by Paulette Mastin The economic and moral case for ethnic diversity in the workplace is well-rehearsed. McKinsey’s 2018 research on diversity in the workplace revealed that companies with the most ethnically diverse executive teams are 33% more likely to outperform their peers on profitability. This is a compelling business…
