Tuesday 22nd November 2016 Grange Tower Bridge Hotel, London
Menu Starter Goat’s cheese crottin in filo pastry parcel served with onion compote, frisÊe salad, walnuts and artichoke (V)
Main course Grilled lemon and rosemary corn-fed chicken supreme with pineapple and chilli salsa, pomme chateaux, roast baby aubergine, grain mustard sauce with veal jus Spinach and ricotta tortellini with sun blushed tomatoes, asparagus and basil cream sauce, lamb’s lettuce and parmesan (V)
Dessert Chocolate Orchard Short almond pastry tart filled with chocolate and apricot mousse, fruits and berries
Programme 6.15 pm
Drinks reception
7.00 pm
Welcome address from Cordella BartStewart – Executive Director, Black Solicitors Network (BSN)
BSN Rising Star Diversity Champion Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year • Law Firm • In-house Legal • Sole practitioner / SME Law Firm
Opening Remarks by Paul Philip, Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016’s Headline Sponsor)
Address by Andrew Langdon QC, Chairman-Elect (2017) of the Bar, and presentation of Chambers Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year
7.15 pm
Dinner
Outstanding Multi-cultural/BAME Employee Network Award
8.20 pm
Introduction to UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 by Paulette Mastin – Chair, BSN City Group and Law Society Council Member UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 presented by Reeta Chakrabarti, BBC News Presenter and Correspondent Introductory remarks by Joe Egan, Vice President of The Law Society of England and Wales Recruitment: “Attracting Talent” Retention: “Talent Management”
BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year Address by Ken Olisa OBE and presentation of the BSN Lifetime Achievement Award 9.45 pm
Orin Lewis OBE & Beverley De-Gale OBE, African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) Charity prize draw in aid of ACLT
10.00 pm
Networking and dancing
12.00 am
Carriages
Sadiq Khan | Mayor of London I would like to offer my best wishes to the Black Solicitors’ Network (BSN) on the occasion of their annual UK Diversity Legal Awards on 22 November 2016. It’s great that these awards recognise, promote and celebrate diversity, equality and inclusion across the legal profession. As Mayor, I’m keen to celebrate London’s amazing diversity, which is a key reason why this is the greatest city in the world. I’m also committed to ensuring that social mobility is central to all our programmes at City Hall so that every Londoner can take full advantage of living and working in this amazing city. I also welcome the fact that these awards aim to raise standards across the legal field, seeking to impact its various policies, processes and initiatives. It’s my hope that these developments will dovetail neatly with our efforts at the Greater London Authority to promote active citizenship across the capital and improve social integration. Finally, I would like to congratulate the BSN for organising these awards, and wish them every success in their future endeavours.
Yours sincerely,
Sadiq Khan Mayor of London
Cordella Bart-Stewart & Paulette Mastin | Black Solicitors Network Welcome the BSN’s Annual Dinner and Ball featuring the UK Diversity Legal Awards. Now in its 7th year, these are the only industry awards which focus solely on recognising and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession. Valuing diversity is becoming increasingly important for businesses and the legal profession is no exception. These Awards are an excellent opportunity to showcase and celebrate individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to engender greater diversity across the breadth of the legal profession and inspire others to follow their lead.
Our thanks to our generous headline sponsor, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Award sponsor, Linklaters, and supporting partners, including the Law Society of England and Wales, who have contributed towards making this celebration of diversity in all its forms possible. We wish you an enjoyable and inspiring evening!
Paulette Mastin Chair, BSN City Group UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 5
Welcome
Cordella Bart-Stewart Executive Director, BSN
We commend those firms, chambers, in-house legal teams and individuals who took the time to prepare and submit evidence of their exemplar work in driving and representing leadership in diversity and inclusion. We congratulate the stellar line-up of finalists and are delighted to share in and celebrate the success of our winners and highly commended awardees this evening. We hope this evening will raise the bar for others to strive towards creating an equal profession.
Diversity matters We are delighted to celebrate the work taking place to improve diversity in the legal sector. We are proud to be the headline sponsor for the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016. We continue to work with the profession to improve the diversity profile at all levels in the profession and in all areas of the legal sector. Email diversity@sra.org.uk to join ‘Diversity matters’ our discussion group on equality, diversity and inclusion.
www.sra.org.uk/diversity
Paul Philip | Solicitors Regulation Authority
delighted that we are supporting the awards again as they provide an important opportunity to showcase some of the work taking place to improve diversity in the legal sector. Promoting diversity is a key priority for us. It is not simply the right thing to do, we also know that law firms which are diverse and inclusive are likely to be more successful. These awards show that there are many firms making real progress and many people we can be proud of. I am confident that by working together we can continue to improve the diversity profile at all levels in the profession and in all areas of the legal sector.
Paul Philip Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority
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Headline Sponsor
Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted for the prestigious UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016. I am
Reeta Chakrabarti | BBC News presenter and correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti is a BBC News presenter and correspondent. She presents the One, Six and Ten O’Clock News on BBC1 and also reports at home and abroad. She was previously Education and Social Affairs correspondent, and spent many years reporting politics from Westminster.
She later became a general news correspondent working in television as well as radio. In 1997, she became the BBC Community Affairs Correspondent, covering the Stephen Lawrence inquest, and subsequent public inquiry. She has also covered Home Affairs, including the Damilola Taylor murder trial; and Health. During her time at Westminster, Reeta covered three general elections, and several changes of party leaders. Other notable stories included the cash for honours affair, MPs expenses, and fronting audience reaction pieces, known as the “Worm” after the election leaders’ debates in 2010. On becoming Education Correspondent Reeta covered changes to university tuition fees; the introduction of free schools, and growth in academies; and changes to exams and the curriculum. She reported from South Korea on why East Asian pupils are far ahead of those in Britain in international league tables. On the social affairs side, she has reported on stories relating to adoption, poverty, and social mobility in the UK. Abroad she has looked at the success of women bankers in India, and why the pace of life in Denmark is healthier than in the UK. She has also done wider pieces looking at the implications for the public of successive budgets, and recently reported on the death and funeral of Lady Thatcher. Reeta has also presented on the BBC News Channel, BBC World, and Radio 4’s The World Tonight. She has a degree in English and French from Oxford.
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 9
Guest Presenter
Reeta started out as a producer on BBC Radio 4, working on the Today programme, the World at One and PM. She then became a reporter on 5 Live Breakfast, in which she covered the French presidential elections, and the Dunblane killings.
Paul Philip | Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority
Guest Speakers
Paul Philip was appointed SRA Chief Executive in 2014. He was previously at the General Medical Council where he was responsible for leading all corporate work programmes as well as the organisation’s core regulatory work. Paul has also held senior roles at the Legal Services Commission and the NHS.
Ken Olisa OBE | Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London Ken is Founder and Chairman of Restoration Partners, the boutique technology merchant bank and architects of the Virtual Technology Cluster model. Ken’s technology career spans over 30 years commencing with IBM from whom he won a scholarship while at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge. In 1992, after twelve years as a senior executive at Wang Labs in the US and Europe, Ken founded Interregnum, the technology merchant bank. He was elected as a Fellow of the British Computer Society in 2006. He is currently a director of Thomson Reuters and Deputy Chairman of The Institute of Directors. Ken is a Freeman of the City of London, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, Chairman of Thames Reach (for which he received an OBE in 2010), Chairman of Shaw Trust, was an original member of Independent Parliamentary Standard Authority, and is the Founder and Chairman of the Powerlist Foundation. He is a past Sunday Times Not for Profit Non-Executive Director of the year, and was named Number 1 in the 2016 Powerlist’s most influential British black person. In 2013 Ken and his wife, Julia, endowed the Olisa Library at his alma mater Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. In 2015, Her Majesty the Queen appointed Ken as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Greater London. 10 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
Joe Egan | Vice President, The Law Society of England and Wales Admitted in 1982, Joe Egan set up his own firm in 1986 specialising in criminal law. Joe became the first solicitor in Bolton to achieve the right to appear in the Crown courts when he was granted higher rights in 1995. Based in Bolton, his firm has expanded to include matrimonial, personal injury, civil litigation and property work. As an advocate, he has appeared in civil trials and matrimonial final hearings. Recently, he has developed a practice in contested probate.
Andrew Langdon QC | Chairman-Elect (2017) of the Bar Andrew Langdon QC was called to the Bar in 1986, took silk in 2006 and practices from Guildhall Chambers, Bristol. He prosecutes and defends Regulatory Crime, in particular in relation to corporate responsibility for Health and Safety in the work place. He also prosecutes and defends serious mainstream crime – gun crime, homicide, fraud, corruption. Andrew was appointed to sit as a Recorder in the Crown Court in 2002. He is a bencher of Middle Temple. He was Leader of the Western Circuit from 2013-2015. He was elected Vice Chairman of the Bar for 2016. He chairs the Bar Council’s Working Group on proposals to reform the Legal Aid Fee structure for Crown Court Advocates. He is Chair-Elect of the Bar for 2017.
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Guest Speakers
For over 15 years Joe has been joint honorary secretary of Bolton Law Society of which he is also a past president. Since 2006 he has represented solicitors in Lancashire and Greater Manchester on the Law Society’s Council.
The UK Diversity Legal Awards is an initiative of the Black Solicitors Network (BSN), a not-for-profit and award-winning network that was founded in 1995 and was recognised as a Law Society Group in 2003. BSN is the primary voice of black solicitors across England and Wales, committed to achieving equality of access, retention and promotion of black solicitors. An inclusive rather than exclusive organisation, BSN attracts and welcomes members from across the cultural and diversity spectrum. It has a current membership of over 5,000 which continues to grow. BSN delivers its extensive initiatives and programmes through its executive board and regional groups: BSN City Group and BSN North. Information about BSN’s extensive initiatives and programmes, which benefit its members and stakeholders alike, can be found at: www.blacksolicitorsnetwork.co.uk Information relating to the UK Diversity Legal Awards can be found at: www.diversitylegalawards.org
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Judging Panel We would like to thank the independent Awards panel of judges for their time, expertise and dedication in judging the 2016 Awards. Chair of Judging Panel
Justine Lutterodt Director of the Centre for Synchronous Leadership
Judges
Weyinmi Popo Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, London
Kim Hollis QC Queens Counsel, 25 Bedford Row Chambers
Trevor James Partner, Morrison Foerster
Sarah Jones Group General Counsel at the BBC
Annabel Smith Head of Diversity EMEA at Morgan Stanley UK
Sailesh Mehta Barrister and Leading Counsel, Red Lion Chambers
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 13
Joseph Harker Deputy editor and columnist on the Guardian’s Opinion section
Gifty Edila Former Corporate Director of Legal, HR and Regulatory Services of the London Borough of Hackney
Recruitment: Attracting Talent
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Recruitment: Attracting Talent – Finalists
At Clifford Chance we believe in providing opportunities for people based on merit, regardless of background, and we continuously strive to ensure that there are no barriers to equality of opportunity. Ensuring broad access to the profession is the only way we can hope to attract the best and the brightest to work for us, and our efforts are firmly focused on this. Our successful relationship with Rare has seen the hires of BME candidates increase significantly and we are now recruiting around 40% BME students and have retained 100% of the students reaching qualification. This has directly impacted the cultural diversity of the firm and we are becoming the legal employer of choice for BME candidates. Rare’s research on social mobility and graduate recruitment, sponsored by Clifford Chance, led to a change in how we assess applications from people from non-traditional backgrounds, with a focus on ‘potential not polish’. Clifford Chance worked with Rare to create the Contextual Recruitment System which has subsequently been adopted by a number of other firms.
We know that the future of our Firm depends on the relationships that we build, on the talent that we attract, develop and inspire and on the quality of our work. Following a review of our recruitment process in 2013, we analysed statistics from our selection process to identify where certain groups were falling down. This review highlighted the need for the firm to be more strategic in our approach and make a commitment to take practical steps forward and increase the diversity of our talent pipeline. In order to do this we reshaped our relationships with expert organisations that help us live our values like SEO, Amos Bursary, Pathways and the SMF. We delivered bespoke unconscious bias training to all of our recruitment teams and interview panellists through RARE Recruitment and we increased our efforts with supporting Afro-Caribbean and BAME Student Societies from around the country. Finally, we established the Diversity Action Team (DAT), a group of legal and business services professionals dedicated to helping us implement our D&I Recruitment Strategy. The resulting statistical increase is a visible sign of our efforts, but we will continue to innovate on our approach and change with the world as it does. 14 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Retention: Talent Management – Finalists
During the talks, Partners spoke informally and honestly to Associates about their career journey - having children, taking career breaks, and the ups and downs of becoming a Partner. BLP have subsequently seen retention rates for female Associates (UK) rise from 85.1% (2014-15) to 89.5% (2015-16). In the most recent round of partner promotions, we promoted more females than ever (25%). Valuing transparency and initiating an open dialogue has enabled BLP’s junior talent to reengage with their long term careers at the Firm.
Recognising that diverse lawyers may be confronted with unique challenges in the profession, Latham & Watkins has designed innovative professional development programs (the Diversity Leadership Academy (DLA) and the Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA)) to specifically support the recruitment, retention, promotion and leadership development of women and other diverse lawyers.
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Retention: Talent Management
Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), international law firm, launched their new Inclusivity strategy with a key focus on Gender Representation. In a knowledge-based business, it is essential to retain the very best talent. Noting poor retention rates at Associate level (particularly female), they identified a link between equality of opportunity and improved retention. After gathering information from Associates on career development via a survey and focus groups, it was clear Associates wanted more open conversations about progression. Working with four Partner Champions and a task-group of over 60 from all areas of the firm, they developed and launched the ‘Path to Partnership’ series of talks.
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Rising Star – Finalists This individual Award is made in recognition of an exemplar BAME lawyer in the early years of their legal career, who is demonstrating strong technical and leadership qualities and potential, within and outside their firm or chambers, including through development of BAME talent, pro bono work, community projects and/or self-started initiatives.
BSN Rising Star
Natalie Carter
Natalie is a commercial real estate solicitor at Mayer Brown International LLP. Natalie has worked tirelessly to improve diversity in the legal industry and was inspired to do so after participating in the first corporate law scheme run by Sponsors for Educational Opportunities in 2008. Natalie studied at the London School of Economics and was born and raised in Tottenham, London. During her time at university Natalie worked on many diversity programmes for the LSE including being a regular mentor and teacher on the AimHigher mentoring scheme in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Natalie has mentored young students under the Legal Launch Pad scheme run by the Black Lawyers Directory since 2011. In 2013, Natalie joined Urban Lawyers as a co-director and began to broker relationships for Urban Lawyers with law firms such as Kingsley and Napley, Sullivan and Cromwell and Berwin Leighton Paisner. Natalie has run multiple events in conjunction with various law firms, chambers and organisations, which focus on explaining the application process to students from diverse backgrounds, building commercial awareness and CV and interview preparation. After receiving positive feedback from attendees and partner firms, Natalie curated Urban Lawyers’ first full day conference in February 2016.
Netanya is a Trainee Solicitor at Simmons & Simmons LLP. She has demonstrated a commitment to improving social inclusion from the beginning of her training contract. In her first seat, she co-organised a charity quiz for young professionals in the City, raising almost £3000 for a London homelessness charity. Netanya has been heavily involved in Simmons’ LGBTQ initiatives, organising the firm’s 2016 Stonewall Brighton Equality Walk team. The team raised over £1200 for Stonewall, making it the second highest fundraiser of the event. Having noticed a significant underrepresentation of openly bisexual people in law firms, Netanya and likeminded individuals from the banking, insurance and legal sectors, created the London Bisexual Network. The London Bisexual Network aims to provide education, visibility and community to bisexual people and allies working in professional services firms. The official launch of the London Bisexual Network took place at the Simmons & Simmons office in November 2016. Netanya was awarded the Simmons & Simmons 2016 Contribution to Diversity Award for her participation in the firm’s LGBTQ initiatives and her role in establishing the London Bisexual Network. 16 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
Netanya Jackson
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Rising Star – Finalists Shaheen Mamun A junior lawyer passionate in Human Rights, Shaheen Mamun is an astute advocate with a robust desire to improving better access to justice for many. He is an instrumental member at Milestone Solicitors who is open to increasing equality and diversity and pro-bono initiatives.
Shaheen graduated from the University of Westminster with the Solicitors Exempting LLB Honours degree in 2014. He was notably awarded a Student Achievement Award in 2013 for academic excellence and progression among his cohorts. He has continued to develop his progression in the legal profession and has been shortlisted by the Law Society Excellence Award 2016 for a Junior Lawyer of the Year.
Sameena Munir Sameena Munir is an Associate Solicitor in the private client team at Kingsley Napley. She joined the firm as a legal assistant in April 2012, commenced a training contract in September 2013 and qualified as a solicitor in September 2015. Sameena is an active participant in the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion group, LGBT & Allies network and Pro Bono committee. Sameena is committed to achieving sexual orientation and gender identity equality in legal services. She acts as a visible LGBT ambassador for the firm at both internal and external events. She volunteers her time to provide advice to colleagues experiencing LGBT issues in the workplace. Sameena has been a volunteer to Crossroads Women’s Centre since 2007. The Centre provides a place of safety for vulnerable women and their families from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and communities. Of her own initiative she introduced Centre Management to the firm’s Pro Bono Coordinator. Following that introduction the firm has been able to provide family law, dispute resolution and immigration law advice to users of the Centre on a pro bono basis. UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 17
BSN Rising Star
As a Trainee Solicitor, he remains very active in holding Public Bodies to account in their decision making where particularly there has been a breach of policy, legitimate expectation and proportionality. His innovation and versatility is at the heart of his professionalism. Shaheen currently serves as a Trustee to the Habeas Corpus Project, a charity who provides unique pro-bono legal representation to refugees and migrants to challenge Unlawful Detention in the UK.
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Diversity Champion – Finalists This individual Award is presented to the person who the judges determine has made a significant contribution to diversity within and across the legal profession, and recognises the impact their work has had.
Diversity Champion
Stephen Akinsanya My legal career has often meant stepping out of my comfort zone. I have used these experiences to motivate me to support those interested in a career in law. I am a firm believer that my success can only be measured by those I have also helped to fulfil their potential from whatever background and ethnicity. I started mentoring young people over 15 years ago after a strong desire to help pupils realize their true potential and to be a visible point of reference for them. I recognised the passion I have to see young people succeed in areas which they otherwise thought were closed to them. Many students have shadowed me to gain a better insight of the law in practice. I feel immense pride when I see the number of young people who have been inspired to pursue a career in law through my encouragement and support and those who simply did not believe they could aspire to much after an exam failure or poor start.
Miranda Brawn Miranda Brawn has a background as an investment banker and barrister who is a regular business and diversity expert on television and radio. She has been named one of the most Powerful Women in London by City AM and was selected by the Financial Times as one of the world’s top 100 BAME business executives striving to make the world a more equal and diverse place. She has also been named one of the top 30 most inspirational Women in the City who are Champions of Diversity in the Brummel Magazine 2015. She has also been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for her outstanding contribution to diversity and equality. Miranda is the Vice Chair of the Black Cultural Archives which has won a National Diversity Award 2016 for Race, Faith and Religion, a Lambeth Equalities Commissioner, board member for Cancer Research UK Women of Influence, City Women Network, Thomson Reuters Business Law Consultation Advisory Board, Patron of Black British Academics, co-founder of ColorInTech and founder of ‘Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation’ to increase UK race diversity.
18 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Diversity Champion – Finalists
Ruth Grant
In particular, the firm has made significant progress in the areas of gender, ethnicity, and LGBT equality, social mobility, and widening access, including recruitment of BAME students. BAME candidate training contract applications have increased from 21% in 2008/9 to 37% in 2014/15 and the percentage of BAME candidates accepting training contracts increased from 11% in 2008/9 to 20% in 2014/15.
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Diversity Champion
Ruth Grant is a senior litigation partner and Board member at Hogan Lovells. She chairs the firm’s Global Diversity and Inclusion and London Diversity Committees. As lead diversity partner for the firm, her hard work and commitment to diversity and inclusion over the last ten years have transformed the firm’s reputation as a diversity pioneer both internally and externally.
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UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Initiative of the Year This Award category honours a law firm, chambers, in-house legal department and sole practitioner or SME firm that have made a real difference in terms of enhancing diversity and inclusion with clear and measurable objectives and outcomes across one or more diversity strands of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and social mobility. This Award is also in recognition of innovative and successful examples of best practice in the enhancement of diversity and inclusion in the profession.
– Charles Jacobs Senior Partner, Linklaters LLP
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Award Category Sponsor
Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do at Linklaters and directly impacts our clients and our culture. As a firm we are proud to be sponsors of the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year award.
D&I Initiative of the Year
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | D&I Initiative of the Year (Law Firm) – Finalists
In 2013, Freshfields and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE launched the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, a first-in-kind race and social mobility scheme to address the underrepresentation of black and black-mixed-race men from less privileged backgrounds in large commercial law firms. An Assessment Centre innovatively tests exceptional potential in eligible first-year law students nominated by any participating UK university. Nearly 200 candidates have had this valuable experience and the offer of feedback. Scholarships are decided based on observations from over 50 volunteers. Freshfields volunteers also showcase diverse skills to provide the 15-month scholar development programme and mentoring, with Goldman Sachs and Bank of England lawyers. Among 20 scholars in the first three years, outcomes exceed objectives: training contracts at large commercial law firms, including Freshfields, a top Bar scholarship and roles at leading firms, including Goldman, have been achieved. Ten further scholars form the 2016 cohort. Importantly, by not out-sourcing, the scheme, its best practice and what it stands for has enabled organisations to attract and retain diverse talent within and beyond the target group and to evolve more inclusive cultures.
The Hogan Lovells StepUp Network is run for and by trainees, associates, and senior associates in order to provide them with targeted opportunities for networking, business development, and growth. The network began as a sub-group of our Women’s Network, to help assist and raise awareness of the firm’s targets for women in partnership. It has since expanded to include junior men. StepUp runs internal and external networking events throughout the year, including events focused on professional development activities. In addition to events, the Network’s Steering Committee meets regularly with the UK Managing Partner, affording them the opportunity to directly influence activities within the firm. Feedback from events and initiatives has been extremely positive from both internal and external attendees. In addition, invitations for the two client events held to date have generated interest within client organisations and we have received repeated requests to forward the invitation to colleagues. 22 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | D&I Initiative of the Year (Law Firm) – Finalists
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 23
D&I Initiative of the Year
Earlier this year Milbank launched a new global initiative to strengthen firm culture around diversity and to celebrate diversity in all its forms. The inaugural Milbank Diversity Week ran from 13 - 17 June 2016 across the Firm’s global network and comprised a series of events specifically designed to highlight diversity and encourage debate of the key issues in an innovative and engaging way. The campaign was extremely successful, in particular in London where feedback has been really positive. Events ranged from panel discussions with external speakers, a keynote presentation from the President & Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a diversity pub quiz and a question and answer session with a leading female QC. By The schedule of events were original and unique and each focused on a different aspect of diversity. The client events allowed us the chance to hear how other participants in our industry view issues associated with diversity and discuss how they manage them and what could or should be done better on an industry level. We were able to challenge perceptions of what diversity means and encourage everyone to think about how we deal with diversity and how it affects us in our day-to-day lives.
D&I Initiative of the Year
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | D&I Initiative of the Year (In-House Legal) – Finalists
Legal Citizenship is a network within BNY Mellon’s EMEA Legal Department that covers three interrelated strands (Diversity & Inclusion, Community, and Pro Bono) striving to improve inclusion from and within our local communities. BNY Mellon views diversity as vital to its talent agenda and high performance culture, and the Legal Department’s network helps to drive this agenda. The Legal Citizenship team has built relationships with charity partners and law firm partners to foster inclusion and diversity across our community, whether it is hosting training courses for young adults not in education or employment, offering legal work experience programmes and introductions to law for students from diverse backgrounds, supporting employment for homeless clients or organising discussions and seminars on issues such as mental health and flexible working. The Legal Citizenship team continues to be at the forefront of the Diversity & Inclusion agenda, looking for opportunities for new initiatives, with more activity and further collaboration with partners.
PwC’s ambition is to have a diverse workforce, with senior leaders reflecting the diversity seen throughout our firm and the societies in which we operate. Recognising that we needed to act earlier to support a sustainable pipeline of female talent, we expanded and evolved our former Women’s Leadership Programme (focused on directors) into our innovative Breakthrough programme.
Breakthrough is a bigger, bolder, more creative programme designed to focus on our senior manager population – combining leadership development and sponsorship with an organisational development approach to tackle systemic challenges. At its core, the premise is to change the system – not the women working within it. Outcomes: • 71 participants since programme launch in 2014. • Female Partners increased from 15% to 18%. • 28% new female Partner appointments in 2016. PwC’s legal practice recognises it has a role in championing diversity within the sector. It actively supports firm-wide goals, through recruiting, developing, and promoting diverse talent. Examples include: • Success in the City – career building event led by the legal practice, experienced by 150 employees and clients. • 5 females recently promoted from senior manager to director and 1 female promotion to Partner. 24 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | D&I Initiative of the Year (Sole Practitioners / SME Law Firm) – Finalists
After years working In-House as a Commercial Solicitor, Nicolina now practices through her firm “Andall Legal” and balances her commercial practice with many additional activities. Nicolina Andall is the current Chair of Croydon Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Advisory Board for Halsbury’s Laws and is an oft requested Speaker within the London area. Nicolina regularly speaks to young women seeking to pursue a career in the legal profession and particularly enjoys the subject of “Surviving and Thriving in a competitive world”. She is a guest speaker at “Super Woman 2016”.
Denise Nurse is the CEO and founder of Halebury. She trained and qualified at Charles Russell, worked in-house at Sky, had a second career as a broadcaster for Sky News and BBC 1’s Escape to the Country and in 2007, launched NewLaw firm Halebury with business partner Janvi Patel. Halebury was created in response to the pressure on General Counsels to do ‘more for less’ and in order to create a genuinely alternative career path for senior in-house counsel looking for more control and flexibility. With no external funding, Denise and Janvi worked, earned, and ploughed their earnings back into the business to develop the business model. Their aim was to offer a firm that competes with the top 50 law firms and to work with clients in the FTSE 250. Today they count BT, National Grid, Barclays and Sky amongst their clients and have over 30 lawyers. This year they were ranked in the third tier in the Legal 500 for TMT IT/Telecoms. Denise said recently in an interview with The Lawyer, “We are so committed to creating a different blueprint. I think we can help create a pathway for those joining the profession that is more inclusive, that embraces different skills, rather than focusing on hourly rates, changing the way lawyers are trained”. UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | 25
D&I Initiative of the Year
Nicolina Andall has a long history of promoting diversity in the legal profession. In her early days, she established a scheme within the African Caribbean and Asian Lawyers Group to help ethnic minority students improve their applications and obtain training contracts. She later became an active mentor within the BSN student arm, lecturing and guiding students to help them on their journey. During her years at SJ Berwin (now King and Wood Mallesons) she was a Diversity Committee Member working to improve communications with the diverse groups within the firm.
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | D&I Initiative of the Year (Chambers) – Finalists
D&I Initiative of the Year
Hardwicke specialises in commercial, construction, insurance and property work. It is a successful and innovative set with a reputation for high quality legal expertise and its excellent and approachable, business-focussed style. This is consistently recognised in the legal directories, who recently described Hardwicke as an ‘amazing chambers with gifted barristers’ and staff team who provide ‘a service far beyond other sets’. People are at the heart of Hardwicke’s business plan and ethos. Training, motivation, recognition and reward, and a continued emphasis on providing opportunities and recruiting and retaining the best people from a wide pool are key to its success. Hardwicke’s D&I initiatives are primarily aimed at ensuring that those that might not have the connections to or knowledge of the legal world are encouraged to consider careers in the law. As well as our own initiatives, we support our clients’ work in the same area and aim to involve as many members of chambers as possible.
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The Wildern Partnership SCITT is a school centred initial teacher training programme that has been developed through years of collaboration with partnership schools, colleges and universities. Based at our bespoke training centre on the Wildern school site near Southampton, we offer a high quality, cross phase and coherent training programme which is adapted to suit individual needs. The full time one year training programme commences in September. Successful completion of the programme will result in being awarded Primary or Secondary QTS, and a PGCE at Masters Level. 100% of trainees who complete the programme are employed. As a result of the carefully planned training and support received, trainees become effective teachers who are in demand to meet local needs. The cross phase aspect of the programme is a significant feature and strength. For much of the central based training primary and secondary trainees are together, maximising experiences and providing opportunities to work alongside primary and secondary colleagues and learn from each other.
In addition the element of the programme designated as ‘Enriched Learning Experience’ affords trainees the opportunity to spend time in a variety of settings in the alternative Key Stages and, where possible, Special Schools giving a genuine cross phase breadth of experience. Places are available in both Primary and Secondary via UCAS. Further information can be found at www.wildernpartnership.co.uk
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UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Outstanding Multi-Cultural/BAME Employee Network – Finalists
Outstanding Multi-cultural/BAME Employee Network
This Award is made in recognition of the outstanding contribution of a multi-cultural network or BAME network that has tackled issues internally or externally to influence change in the field of equality and diversity and is able to demonstrate its impact in shaping and driving the Diversity and Inclusion agenda and the sustained value it has added to the business. The Hogan Lovells Multicultural Network was established in 2012 to increase the firm’s awareness and understanding of issues relating to culture, ethnicity, and faith, encourage employee engagement through Network events, foster a culture of mutual respect and inclusivity, support the firm’s recruitment initiatives relating to the attraction and recruitment of diverse employees, and to support our wider business development by raising awareness and supporting effective engagement with our diverse, global clients. The Network has an active Steering Committee and members lead on planning events and initiatives. Some of our key activities have included supporting our graduate recruitment team in promoting the firm and attracting ethnically diverse applicants, focusing on business development and collaboration with key and growing business areas within the firm, celebrating difference by raising awareness of religious and cultural holidays, and hosting events in collaboration with community organisations. As a result of the work, the network has positively influenced recruitment statistics, highlighted a range of religious and cultural holidays within the firm, and received excellent feedback and engagement with its events from both internal and external attendees.
Legal Citizenship is a network within BNY Mellon’s EMEA Legal Department that covers three interrelated strands (Diversity & Inclusion, Community, and Pro Bono) striving to improve inclusion from and within our local communities. BNY Mellon views diversity as vital to its talent agenda and high performance culture, and the Legal Department’s network helps to drive this agenda. The Legal Citizenship team has built relationships with charity partners and law firm partners to foster inclusion and diversity across our community, whether it is hosting training courses for young adults not in education or employment, offering legal work experience programmes and introductions to law for students from diverse backgrounds, supporting employment for homeless clients or organising discussions and seminars on issues such as mental health and flexible working. The Legal Citizenship team continues to be at the forefront of the Diversity & Inclusion agenda, looking for opportunities for new initiatives, with more activity and further collaboration with partners. 30 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | Outstanding Multi-Cultural/BAME Employee Network – Finalists
Origins’ initiatives and activities are aligned to five strategic objectives: recruitment and retention; business development; thought leadership; professional development and community support. Since its launch in January 2016, Origins has grown its membership to nearly 200 employees and supported the firm’s strategic Diversity & Inclusion objectives through a broad range of activities aimed at promoting ethnic and cultural awareness at the firm. This year marked the first time the firm celebrated Black History Month with a series of events organised by Origins including a panel discussion on the relevance of Black History Month in multi-cultural Britain today and a photo exhibit celebrating influential black men and women throughout history.
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Outstanding Multi-cultural/BAME Employee Network
The Origins employee network was launched in January 2016 with the objective of promoting ethnic and cultural awareness across the firm and a culture that supports Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees. Origins is co-sponsored by a senior Partner and the Director of HR for Europe, Middle East and Asia. Its sponsors, steering committee and membership are a culturally diverse community of BAME employees and advocates.
BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year – Finalists This award is made to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the legal profession and towards BAME diversity, championing the cause for diversity across and beyond the profession. They have shown unflagging commitment to the professional advancement of minority lawyers, minorities seeking to enter the legal profession and professionals as a whole. Musonda Kapotwe
Musonda is a Director in the Markets Legal Division of Citigroup. She advises the bank on regulatory matters which impact European fixed income and equity markets and is EMEA Counsel for Resolution and Recovery leading the implementation of “too big to fail” legislation for Citi’s banks and subsidiaries in Europe. Prior to this, she acted as Citi’s inhouse project finance counsel advising the bank on its participation in many transactions, including the US$24 billion Rosneft acquisition financing in Russia and the US$12 billion financing of Sadara Chemicals in Saudi Arabia. She acts as global counsel for Citi Inclusive Finance advising on its flagship programme which has facilitated financings to over 900,000 micro-entrepreneurs, 80% of whom are women. She is a lay Governor at London School of Economics and a director of the non-profit International Lawyers for Africa. Musonda trained and qualified as a solicitor at Clifford Chance LLP, working for over six years in the London, Rome and Singapore offices advising on project finance transactions. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from LSE as a Sweet and Maxwell Prize Scholar.
Solomon Wifa Solomon Wifa is a private equity partner at the London office of top international law firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which he recently joined in 2015. In 2015 Solomon was named “Financial Services Leader of the Year” at the Black British Business Awards. He is ranked as a leading adviser by Chambers UK, which notes, “Solomon Wifa is rigorous, intelligent and recognised for his technical knowledge”. He was named to The Lawyer’s 2013 “Hot 100” list and in the same year was named in the Powerlist as one of Britain’s 100 most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage. Outside of work Solomon is a coach to his son’s U9 rugby team and a big football fan. He recalls “....some years ago I got an opportunity to travel with Barcelona FC on their off-season tour to Japan. I hung around with the players and coaching staff and was introduced to a shy young star player who had not yet made the first team. That shy young star player turned out to be Lionel Messi!”. 32 | UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year – Finalists Marcia Willis Stewart
On the current legal landscape, it’s not hard to identify that minority groups are disproportionately affected regarding access to justice. Marcia fights passionately and her desire to achieve justice for the disadvantaged has long outstripped financial reward or public recognition. Her commitment to diversity extends beyond representation. She is renowned for giving lawyers from all walks of life a chance to prove themselves often bucking the trend favouring those from Russell Group or Oxbridge universities. In terms of gender and racial diversity, the array of 30+ lawyers she instructed on Hillsborough was a testament to her commitment. Marcia Willis Stewart doesn’t just talk diversity, she exemplifies it.
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BSN Outstanding Lawyer of the Year
Marcia Willis Stewart is a Managing Partner at Birnberg Peirce & Partners Solicitors. She is a well respected practitioner who has spent her career fighting to uphold the civil liberties of individuals and families in actions against the police and state, inquests, extraditions, etc. Amongst those she has represented are the families of Jean Charles de Menezes, Mark Duggan and more recently families of 77 of the victims of the Hillsborough Disaster.
UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Lifetime Achievement Award
BSN Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Sandie Okoro | General Counsel of HSBC Global Asset Management
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UK Diversity Legal Awards 2016 | BSN Lifetime Achievement Award Sandie is General Counsel of HSBC Global Asset Management and Deputy General Counsel of HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management.
Sandie was named in the Powerlist 2015 as the fourth most influential black person in Britain. Sandie received the 2014 Chambers Europe Award for Excellence for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Legal Profession’. For many years Sandie was a director of International Lawyers of Africa (ILFA) and from January to June 2014 she was its president. In November 2014, Sandie was appointed to the Board of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). She is also on the Equality Standards Panel of the Premier League. In 2014, Sandie was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Law by City University in recognition of her career in business and law and her voluntary work. More recently, Sandie was named in the Autumn 2015 edition of Brummell Magazine, as one of the top Inspirational Women in the City who are Champions of Diversity. In May 2016 Sandie was named by City AM as one of the Power 100 Women and in June 2016 she was named as one of the Financial Times’s Upstanding 100 Leading Ethnic Minority Executives. In July 2016, Sandie was named as one of the 100 Women to Watch by the Female FTSE Board 2016. Sandie has recently been appointed as World Bank Group’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Sandie can be found on Twitter @SANDIEOKORO
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BSN Lifetime Achievement Award
In July 2011 Sandie was appointed to the Management Board and the Panel of Experts of The Hague based Panel of Recognised International Market Experts in Finance (P.R.I.M.E. Finance) which assists with the settlement of international disputes on complex financial transactions. In late 2013, Sandie became a council member of the Human Rights organisation, JUSTICE. Sandie is also an ambassador for the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme.
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