Global law firm Reed Smith has been awarded ‘Most Effective Diversity Programme’ at The Lawyer Business Leadership Awards in a ceremony in London. The award recognised the work the firm had done on disability.
It is the fifth award the firm has received for its disability programme in the UK legal market, following successes at The Lawyer Awards, The Legal Business Awards, The Legal Innovation Awards and the UK Diversity Legal Awards.
This award asked firms to demonstrate a coherent strategy to recruit and retain a workforce that represents the diversity of wider society.
Reed Smith’s diversity programme was acknowledged for its achievements in attracting and recruiting disabled candidates. In 2014, Reed Smith received 65 applications from disabled candidates for its summer vacation scheme and made five training contract offers to disabled applicants, all of which have been accepted.
Sakil Suleman, partner and head of the firm’s UK diversity committee, commented:
“To be recognised by our peers consistently for being leaders in our recruitment efforts in this area is a great endorsement of the work that we are doing. We launched a Disability Task Force in 2012 to improve internal collaboration and communications, to develop external partnerships and to increase diversity within our business. We’ve been very happy with the results. Our aim is to continue striving to recruit and retain the very best talent to serve our clients, and the wider the talent pool the easier that becomes. We look forward to building on this success in the coming years by developing our existing relationships and harnessing new partnerships.”
ENDS
Note to editors:
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm, with more than 1,800 lawyers in 26 offices throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States.
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are central to Reed Smith’s business. The talent pool is changing rapidly and the firm is determined to attract candidates from the widest pool possible, to continue to be competitive and to ensure the very best service for its clients. The firm sees differences as a strength and works hard to ensure a fair and inclusive environment for all, where the unique insights, perspectives and backgrounds of individuals are valued.
Reed Smith runs a number of programmes focused on all aspects of diversity and inclusion, including: race and ethnicity, disability, social mobility, gender equality and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The firm’s inclusion wheel summarises the key inclusion initiatives being undertaken both internally and externally.
Awards
- Recruitment: Attracting Talent – The UK Diversity Legal Awards November 2014 (WINNER)
- CSR Programme of the Year - Legal Business Awards March 2015 (WINNER)
- Ethical Initiative of the Year – The Lawyer Awards June 2015 (WINNER)
- Most Effective Diversity Programme - The Lawyer Business Leadership Awards September 2015 (WINNER)
- Diversity Initiative of the Year – The British Legal Awards November 2014 (SHORTLISTED)
- Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion award – The Law Society Excellence Awards October 2015 (SHORTLISTED – winner to be announced in October)
- Diversity and Inclusion award – AllAboutLaw Awards September 2015 (SHORTLISTED – winner to be announced in October)
For further information, please contact Andrew Darby (senior corporate communications executive EME) on +44 (0)20 3116 3795.