Browne Jacobson innovative FAIRE programme wins at UK Social Mobility Awards 2021

National law firm Browne Jacobson has won the Innovation award at the fifth annual UK Social Mobility Awards 2021.

The virtual gala event which took place today is a leadership initiative which is committed to promoting social mobility throughout the UK and recognises businesses and organisations that demonstrate innovative ways of advancing social mobility within the workplace.

The firm was named in the Innovation category for its commitment to helping to break down the barriers that people from lower socio-economic and minority backgrounds experience when trying to access a legal career through its FAIRE (Fairer Access into Real Experience) initiative. FAIRE which was devised by Browne Jacobson’s recruitment manager, Tom Lyas, aims to support social mobility, offering students equal access to work experience that can pave the way for a career in the legal sector.

The programme successfully launched earlier in the year when the firm hosted FAIRE: virtual work experience and legal career insights event in partnership with Young Professionals. The two-day event gained huge engagement with over 7,000 attended joining on day one alone and over 10,000 participants signing up across the full breadth of the UK. It was the UK’s biggest virtual work experience and legal career insights event ever to take place.

The judging panel was made up of leading figures from business, charity, politics and the public sector and was chaired by Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE who is also Chair of Restoration Partners.

Tom Lyas commented on the win:

“We are incredibly passionate about creating & delivering genuinely innovative solutions that help aspiring legal professionals from underrepresented communities get equal career opportunities. Our firm is such a strong advocate and driver of social mobility and committed to creating a truly diverse and inclusive environment that people from all backgrounds want to be part of and our clients want to partner with.

“We know people from lower socio-economic and minority backgrounds are still hugely underrepresented within the legal profession and we know we want and need to be part of that change so I am delighted our work around FAIRE and championing social mobility has being recognised. We will continue to ensure societal issues like social mobility becomes ingrained into Browne Jacobson’s DNA.”

Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder of The UK Social Mobility Awards, added:

“We are delighted that the UK Social Mobility Awards shows that there continues to be positive activity being conducted across the country, as corporate Britain comes together to drive forward social mobility. However, as much as has been done, we still have significant work to do, as when it comes to social mobility, there is no limit to better. I’d like to congratulate Browne Jacobson for winning the ‘Innovation’ award, for the outstanding work they are doing in progressing the movement.”

Browne Jacobson are currently ranked 5^th in the Social Mobility Employer Index 2020 alongside some of the country’s leading employers in the Social Mobility Foundation.