Three weeks ago, Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) minister David Lammy delivered a speech to the Black Solicitors Network. The DCA promptly put out a press statement outlining the thrust of Lammy’s argument – essentially that large commercial law firms have failed to effectively promote ethnic diversity. Nothing unusual about that, but Legal Week was keen to ask some questions relating to the valid issues raised by the minister. After several weeks of attempting to gain five minutes of telephone time with Lammy, Legal Week was informed by the minister’s office that said minutes could not be spared until September.
That is the kind of approach to public policy debate that gives junior ministers a bad name. What makes it all the more galling is that he had a point. Research last year by Legal Week found that only 2.5% of partners at top 20 UK firms are from ethnic minorities, while 8% of the population falls into this category. Sure, many large firms have moved close to ensuring they meet the Law Society guidelines that 10% of trainees are from ethnic minorities. But the fact that Herbert Smith is currently the only top 10 London firm that bothers to monitor what happens to these recruits once they join adds credence to Lammy’s claim that they are being channelled away from commercial law.
