Here are the law firms ranked highest on aiding social mobility
Browne Jacobson ranked second place in the 2023 Social Mobility Employer Index by the Social Mobility Foundation, a report which highlights how employers across a range of sectors perform in eight areas of employer-led social mobility.
The ranking criteria include how these companies work with young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and if they have structured routes into employment.
Among other factors, Browne Jacobson’s high rank reflects the fact it launched a school outreach programme in 2021 known as Fairer Access to Real Experience. The programme offers in-person and virtual work experience opportunities to candidates specifically from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The firm states that since its launch, the events have drawn participation from over 30,500 students representing more than 2,000 schools.
“I am incredibly proud that we have maintained our position as the highest-ranked law firm and a leading employer for social mobility in the UK,” said Caroline Green, senior partner at Browne Jacobson, who leads on diversity, inclusion and well-being at the firm.
Out of a list of 75, over half were law firms, along with one barrister chamber, Radcliffe Chambers, which ranked 60th.
The top 10 features half of the ‘magic circle’ as Linklaters found itself in sixth place and Allen & Overy was ranked in seventh position.
Closely following those magic circle firms are UK-US merged firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (ninth). Meanwhile, Womble Bond Dickinson ranked 11th, DLA Piper was 12th, Baker McKenzie was 13th and Lewis Silkin came in at number 14.
The final law firms in the top 10 were Squire Patton Boggs (16th) and CMS (17th).
First place was granted to one of the Big Four, PwC, as Grant Thornton (third), KPMG (fourth) and Accenture (fifth) ranked within the top five of the report.