Diversity is key to the successful functioning of law firms, as well as ensuring the ongoing relevance of the legal profession. This course will look at what we mean by equality and diversity, why it is important, the law relating to it, its impact and effect on the way in which we recruit, develop and relate to those working within our firms and how firms can ensure that they are implementing strategies that will encourage it.
Audience
This course is applicable to all solicitors. Each individual is responsible for complying with the requirements of the SRA Handbook and the managers of each firm are responsible for the overall compliance of their individual firms.
Compliance Officers for Legal Practice (COLPs) and for Finance and Administration (COFAs) will find this course of particular interest, as their role is to champion compliance and good risk management within their firms. The course may be integrated within existing processes to ensure that individuals are given sufficient information to comply with the SRA Handbook.
Key Benefits
- Session specifically focuses on Diversity as one SRA risk factor
- Gain an understanding of how better Diversity strategies and planning can benefit individual solicitors and law firms.
- Short, interactive, cost effective session which can be accessed from any location.
- Delivered live by practitioners with expertise in diversity within law firms.
- Designed to cover key SRA competencies
Live Online – 27th October 2020 (12pm – 1pm)
- Session specifically focuses on Diversity as one SRA risk factor
- Gain an understanding of how better Diversity strategies and planning can benefit individual solicitors and law firms.
- Short, interactive, cost effective session which can be accessed from any location.
- Delivered live by practitioners with expertise in diversity within law firms.
- Designed to cover key SRA competencies
The topics will include:
- Why lack of diversity is a problem;
- What barriers to diversity currently exist within the profession;
- Grappling with unconscious bias; and
- What an inclusive firm looks like and how to achieve it.
This will be delivered via our highly interactive Live Online system, be 1 to 2 hours in length and can be accessed from any location. Live Online sessions are delivered real time with an experienced trainer delivering throughout the session enabling delegates to ask questions and engage with the learning content. No prior technical expertise is required to sign up to these sessions.
A1 Act honestly and with integrity, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements and the SRA Handbook and Code of Conduct;
A2 Maintain the level of competence and legal knowledge needed to practise effectively, taking into account changes in their role and/or practice context and developments in the law;
A3 Work within the limits of their competence and the supervision which they need;
C2 Establish and maintain effective and professional relations with clients;
C3 Establish and maintain effective and professional relations with other people; and
D3 Apply good business practice.
There is no preparation for this course although we do ask that you come prepared to engage with the subject and be willing to get involved with the discussions this programme raises.
Following each session we suggest you complete a personal development plan which will help you identify key action points together with a framework for ensuring that you achieve them.
By the end of this course, you will:
- Develop an understanding of what is meant by diversity within the profession;
- Understand why it is important both as a matter of law and successful practice;
- Identify areas for improvement and better understanding; and
- Develop strategies for improving diversity within your own practice.