Solicitors of an ethnic minority background research

Final report is launched - May 2011

The Society have now published the report "The experiences of ethnic minority background solicitors in Scotland".  This can be downloaded here. 

The report  is part of the Society's ongoing equality and diversity strategy and follows 'Profile of the Profession' research in 2007, which suggested that despite increasing numbers of solicitors coming from an ethnic minority background, they were significantly less likely to be equity partners that their white colleagues.

The Law Society of Scotland is to launch an action plan in response to research which indicates that up to a third of ethnic minority solicitors believe their ethnicity has had a detrimental impact on their careers.  More details will be provided on this site once available.

The research focuses on the experiences of ethnic minority background solicitors in Scotland, with researchers conducting a series of in depth interviews with 27 ethnic minority solicitors, rather than other groups at risk of discrimination. The 2011 report, while not directly comparable in terms of research methodology and number of respondents, gives some grounds for optimism with a shift from the 2007 findings, in which as many as 48% of those of an ethnic minority background felt they had been discriminated against at work.

Update - October 2010

Thank you to everyone who has participated in this research so far. We still require participants, particularly solicitors and trainees from an ethnic minority background. If you would like to contribute to this valuable reasearch, please contact Sophie Ellison at Blake Stevenson, sophie@blakestevenson.co.uk. tel 0131 335 3700. Full details of the research are as follows:

Call for participants - July 2010

The Society has commissioned Blake Stevenson, a social research consultancy, to conduct research to examine the experiences of ethnic minority background solicitors within the legal profession in Scotland.

Evidence suggests that the proportion of solicitors who come from an ethnic minority background is steadily increasing - 6% of Scottish law students starting their degrees in 2002 were identified as being from minority ethnic backgrounds. However, the 2006 Law Society study suggested that minority ethnic lawyers were significantly less likely to be equity partners than their white colleagues. The research also suggested that solicitors of an ethnic origin other than white were more likely to have suffered discrimination at work than solicitors of white ethnic origin.

This research aims to gather and examine qualitative data about the experiences of minority ethnic solicitors, while taking into account that their experiences within the profession will also be influenced by other factors, such as location, age, gender and length of post-qualifying experience.

The research will focus on the experience of practising solicitors but will also explore the experiences of those in other roles, such as law students, trainee lawyers, and paralegals.

Blake Stevenson is currently looking for volunteers who are interested in participating in the research, which will involve the following methods:

• one-to-one interviews and focus groups with ethnic minority solicitors from a range of companies and legal sectors in Scotland
• interviews and focus group with trainee ethnic minority solicitorsinterviews and focus groups with white solicitors and trainees
• three focus groups with law students.

We are looking to hear from ethnic minority background solicitors, trainees, paralegals and students, as well as white solicitors and trainees. All information gathered during the research will be non-attributable.

If you fulfill any of the criteria outlined above and are interested in participating or would like further information about the research, please contact Sophie Ellison, consultant at Blake Stevenson, at sophie@blakestevenson.co.uk, or on 0131 335 3700.