TLT improves ranking in the Social Mobility Employer Index

National law firm TLT has climbed the rankings in the 2024 Social Mobility Employer Index for the third consecutive year. 

The ranking was created by the Social Mobility Foundation in 2017 and ranks UK employers on the action they take to ensure they are open to and progressing talent from all backgrounds. Now in its eighth year, it is considered the leading authority on employer best practice and the definitive benchmark of organisations committed to improving social mobility in the workplace. This year’s index ranked 150 organisations, representing 26 sectors and just under one million employees.

In this year’s entry, TLT has climbed eight places, rising from 47th to 39th. This recognises the steps the firm has taken to improve social mobility and accessibility to the legal profession over the past year.

TLT’s achievements in improving social mobility have been driven by a number of initiatives. These have included:

• Partnering with charities including Ablaze in Bristol and My Big Career in London, to open up the legal sector and encourage students from lower socio-economic backgrounds to consider a career in law;
  
  
• Partnering with Speakers for Schools – one of the largest social mobility charities – to deliver virtual work experience sessions. This allowed young people from rural and coastal areas to learn more about the legal profession;
  
  
• Launching three different pathways to qualify solicitors, prioritising giving those with or without university degrees the chance to enter the legal profession;

• Partnering with work-based learning platform Springpod to provide a free interactive platform for young people of all backgrounds to explore, interact and learn about the legal profession;
  
  
• Running a ‘workplace safari’ event in partnership with Manchester Greater Authority, giving young people the chance to experience what it is like to work at a law firm, and to learn about the qualifications required to enter the profession.

Alongside its market-leading initiatives, TLT formalised its ambitions to improve social mobility by committing to ensuring greater diversity in early careers and setting a target to achieve 35% ethnic minority representation across its early career roles (trainees and apprentices) to be achieved by October 2030. Aligning with these commitments, TLT has also introduced a new diversity access programme aimed at eliminating barriers to entry into the legal profession for aspiring ethnic minority lawyers and improving diversity in early careers.

Sarah Hale, partner and social mobility champion at TLT said: “TLT’s Social Mobility Network has been instrumental in fostering an inclusive culture where colleagues can bring their whole selves to work – many of these results are thanks to their continued efforts.

“TLT’s continued climbing of the rankings demonstrates that we are not only consolidating our position as the firm of opportunity, but actively improving our openness and accessibility to people of all backgrounds, year on year.”  

Helen Hodgkinson, chief people officer at TLT commented: “Our continued progress demonstrates our ongoing commitment to listening to our people and communities and to improving our processes. We appreciate that improving social mobility starts early and our work with schools, in conjunction with our charity partners, as well as our focus on early careers has been an important part of our success in improving social mobility over the past year. 

“We recognise that there is still further progress we can make but we are proud of the work done to date and excited to be paving the way to diversifying the legal sector.”