Entering the legal profession as a Black male had its challenges. I took the plunge and moved from my hometown to Manchester to study law at university in 2014.
Initially, there were perceived barriers to my entry. People around me, who I respect, whether that be family or friends, told me that the industry “wasn’t for people like me”. That wasn’t a reflection of me as a person or my competence, but rather the reality of the lack of diversity across the sector at all levels. The latest statistics show that just 3 per cent (Solicitors Regulation Authority*) of lawyers in the UK are from Black heritage.
I had no idea what lay ahead of me upon starting my first legal job. I am one of just a few ‘lucky ones’ who landed on my feet by joining my current firm. However, I didn’t realise how much of an outsider I was within the wider sector.
At every stage of my career so far, I had been the only Black person in the room. But rather than seeing the lack of representation as a barrier, I viewed it as more of a challenge. It spurred me to continuously push to be better. I don’t feel uncomfortable being the only one that looks like me in the room. I do appreciate, however, that this isn’t the same for all. It irks me to know that some of my counterparts who are capable and competent, don’t feel like they can take the plunge into the profession. They worry that they won’t be understood, or their professional growth will be stunted due to their heritage. That truly is a shame.
Things have no doubt got better but we aren’t where we want to be yet. This profession is one of the oldest and most respected around and I’m truly proud to be a part of it, and just one of a few representing my race.
We all have a responsibility to ensure that it remains that way. In my perspective, having influences and representation from all races, backgrounds and ethnicities can only be a positive. To be clear, it is my firm belief that the first step in any job is to be competent within the role and to have the right attitude. Past that, it is about having the opportunity to shine.
That is why I took the decision to help launch and support an initiative to try and encourage more Black talent to come into the profession. In my mind, that starts at grassroots, giving young people visibility of others thriving in the legal sector who are from similar backgrounds with shared experiences.
I would’ve loved to have had exposure to lawyers who looked like me when I was younger, who I could’ve asked questions to. Questions which I may not have felt comfortable asking with an individual from a different race. Even now when I speak to students and individuals, a common question I get when nobody is in earshot is “what is it really like to be one of the only Black people in law?” It is great to be able to answer that question honestly and give a truer insight than you may see in a recruitment brochure. That is the value, in my mind, in doing panels, recruitment days and law fairs. If that visibility encourages just one individual who looks like me to take the plunge into this great career, then I am satisfied.
It goes further than that though. Once individuals are in a firm, whichever firm that may be, how do we make them feel comfortable and give them the best environment to thrive. There is great value to having staff networks which give a safe space for people with shared backgrounds and experiences (and importantly allies too) to meet, talk and build relationships. At Freeths, I helped establish the Rise Network which celebrates Black culture, feeds into recruitment strategy and assists the management board in shaping the firm’s strategy for years to come. Since inception, the engagement has been fantastic.
I mentioned allies earlier and I do feel that they are extremely important. The reality is that change comes from the top and often those individuals don’t look like me. I’m privileged to work with a Senior Leadership Team who are extremely supportive of D&I in general, ensuring that ethos is embedded across the firm.
I believe that things are getting better but there is more that we can all do. As with anything, working together achieves better results in a quicker timeframe and that is the hope.
Regardless of race or ethnicity, I believe we all have a responsibility to lift as we climb. That certainly is the mantra I will be moving forward with. Let’s see where we get to!
Alex Brown is an associate at Freeths
