In a new podcast, we speak to two executives from Skadden Arps about how diversity in law firm recruiting is becoming a crucial to firms attracting talent
Diversity in law firm recruiting practices is a much-discussed topic, and rightly so. In this latest podcast on the Thomson Reuters Institute Market Insights channel, we speak to Elizabeth Robertson, a partner in the London office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Mathieu Pinto Cardoso, the firm’s Graduate Recruitment Manager.
The pair join us to discuss how Skadden has shifted the focus of its recruiting practices to include not only key areas like racial and gender diversity, but socio-economic diversity as well.
You can listen to the full podcast with the Skadden executives here. You can also hear more podcasts on the Thomson Reuters Institute Market Insights channel.
Robertson also serves as a board member for PRIME in the U.K., which is “an alliance of law firms across the U.K. and Ireland determined to improve access to socio-economic diversity within the legal profession.” Participating firms make what is called “the PRIME Commitment” — a pledge to work toward nine key goals in their recruiting practice:
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- Provide fair access to those with the least opportunity;
- Provide support by way of financial assistance for participating student to engage in work development activities;
- Help students prepare for work through practical information and pre-placement activities;
- Give career advice about the range of career options available in the legal profession and help students evaluate their potential options;
- Assist students in developing key skills fundament to success in the legal and business world through work experience;
- Maintain contact with participating students, even after they’ve graduated and moved onto careers;
- Keep up with best practices in terms of the types of experiences being offered and how students engage in them;
- Target a goal of offering 50% of what law firms in the U.K. call “training contract” opportunities to those who need it most; and
- Provide at least 30 to 35 hours of contact time with students.
