Apply now!Diversity at Travers Smith
Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of everything Travers Smith does. Find out more about the firm's committment to diversity and inclusion below.
Travers Smith’s approach to diversity and creating an inclusive workplace goes beyond just ticking a box. The firm values everything that makes them unique and recognises that celebrating differences helps make them a special place to work. With a focus on allyship and role modelling, the firm is committed to creating a fully inclusive workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves.
Supporting their people
Travers Smith has six fully inclusive professional networks, each led by a partner to provide high level strategic input, connectivity and support for their people. These include:
- REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage)
- LGBTQ+
- Faith Resources
- Gender Balance
- Enable (which focuses on accessibility needs)
- Social Mobility Group
A focus on role models
Role models have an essential role in helping create an inclusive culture. They demonstrate the importance of authenticity and positive value of diversity in all its forms. To celebrate and promote role models across the firm, Travers Smith have developed the following resources:
- Female Role Models
- Telling Stories: Understanding Social Mobility
- Telling Stories: LGBTQ+ Role Models
A focus on allyship
Allies, or people who are proactive and understanding of the challenges affecting diverse groups of people, can be instrumental in driving positive cultural change. It is not the responsibility of people from minority groups to create a fairer society but rather that task sits on the shoulders of allies and people in positions of influence. Building upon this framework of engaging with the majority to help drive positive change for the minority and/or underrepresented, we have developed resources aimed at educating and empowering our people to be effective allies: What makes an effective ally?
Strategic partnerships
Travers Smith have developed partnerships with other external networks and organisations aimed at promoting a culture of inclusion and mutual respect in industry and in the wider community, including; City Solicitors Horizons, Aspiring Solicitors, Rare Recruitment, Just Like Us, STRIVE, WCAN, BIUCAC.
Intersectionality: celebrating difference
By looking at D&I initiatives through an intersectional lens, Travers Smith are able to better examine the role people's multiple identities have in compounding inequality and discrimination, and to develop mechanisms to better promote inclusion. Some ways they have achieved this are:
- D&I Seminar programme: The Firm have programmed a series of seminars, events and podcasts involving speakers from as diverse backgrounds as possible to help provide an insight into the diverse experiences of people from minority and under-represented groups.
- D&I book club: The Firm have recently launched a quarterly D&I-themed book club that is open to anyone across the firm. this book club will provide people with an opportunity to discuss the chosen text, as well as explore its associated themes.
Corporate Social Responsibility
From working with emerging artists to supporting refugees and asylum seekers, Travers Smith's award-winning CSR Programme is diverse, exciting and ever-expanding.
Working with local communities
Travers Smith are committed to working with local communities, developing meaningful ties with schools, universities and community groups and using their own influence and legal expertise to help give people better opportunities to access the legal profession. Highlights of their work include:
- Raising aspirations
- Reading Partners: This scheme, which is aimed at improving literacy rates, involves people at the firm reading for an hour with a child aged 8-9 years old in Bangabandhu School in Bethnal Green.
- BEE Scheme: This scheme aims to improve financial literacy of pupils aged 10-11 years old in schools in Tower Hamlets.
- Legal Experts in Schools: This scheme involves people at the firm delivering 6 sessions to young people (aged 14-15) in St Olave's School in Elephant and Castle about legal matters which affect young people. The series culminates in a visit to the firm followed by a panel discussion to discuss City Careers.
- Digital Legal Experts in Schools: This series involves volunteers from the firm delivering sessions virtually to schools in social mobility "cold spots" in England.
- Economic Experts in Schools: This scheme involves volunteers from the firm delivering 3 sessions to young people (aged 14-15) from The Petchey Academy in Hackney to help boost economic literacy.
Widening Access
Contextualised Recruitment System: This system, which was adopted in 2017, takes into account the circumstances and background of potential trainees and vacation scheme students. This enables Travers Smith to identify high performing and driven candidates, and ensures applications are reviewed in light of their wider personal circumstances.
GROW mentoring: This scheme provides mentors to aspiring solicitors form disadvantaged/under-represented groups to help them access careers in law. TS currently offer circa 30 mentors. They also sponsor the annual GROW awards, which celebrate the achievements of remarkable students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Articles: a development programme for 50 – 70 second year students from Black African, Black Caribbean and Mixed Race with Black African and Caribbean heritage.
AS Foundation: Travers Smith contribute financially to the ASF, which distributes hardship grants to aspiring solicitors from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Paid work experience opportunities
City Solicitors Horizons: This scheme is aimed at students which are first generation to attend university. Students receive mentoring support from people at the firm, and an opportunity to attend a week of work experience.
TS THRIVE: This scheme provides a week of work experience to young people (aged 16-17) from lower socio-economic groups.
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