In order to provide the highest standard of work for our clients, we recruit the best people for the job, regardless of age, gender, ethnic origin, or other similar factors.
Every two years, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) asks its regulated law firms to take part in a diversity survey. The following table shows the response rates of staff dependent upon their work role within our firm and the actual percentage of staff with those roles:
Roles | Actual Composition | Response Composition |
Business Services | 14.08% | 16.67% |
Support Staff (Secretarial & Assistants) | 21.13% | 22.92% |
Non-Qualified “Fee Earners” (inc. Trainees) | 14.08% | 10.42% |
Solicitors & CILEX Fellows | 28.17% | 28.17% |
Partners & Non-Solicitor Managers | 22.54% | 12.50% |
Prefer Not To Say | n/a | 8.33% |
Because some of the above groups contain a small number of staff, we have chosen to publish our data as a whole, rather than broken down by work role, to preserve anonymity.
The data provided for the North West and England & Wales is from the 2021 data collection exercise. When the SRA’s 2023 data is published, we will update these figures. Because the answers are voluntary some response rates may not add up to 100%.
The options provided for each question are set by the SRA and may not necessarily reflect our respondents’ preferred terms.
What age category are you in? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
16 – 24 | 10% | 8% | 11% |
25 – 34 | 19% | 29% | 28% |
35 – 44 | 23% | 24% | 25% |
45 – 54 | 29% | 21% | 20% |
55 – 64 | 10% | 13% | 12% |
65+ | 6% | 3% | 3% |
Prefer not to say | 2% | 2% | 2% |
What is your sex? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Female | 75% | 64% | 64% |
Male | 23% | 34% | 33% |
Other | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Prefer not to say | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
No | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Yes | 96% | 96% | 97% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Do you consider yourself to have a disability (according to the equality act)? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
No | 92% | 91% | 91% |
Yes | 4% | 5% | 6% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem or disability which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
No | 83% | 89% | 89% |
Yes, limited a little | 10% | 5% | 5% |
Yes, limited a lot | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 5% | 4% |
What is your ethnic group? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Asian/Asian British | 4% | 10% | 11% |
Black/Black British | 2% | 3% | 1% |
Mixed/Multiple Ethnicity | 2% | 3% | 2% |
Other Ethnic Group | 0% | 1% | 1% |
White/White British | 88% | 80% | 82% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 4% | 3% |
What is your religion or belief? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Any other religion or belief | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Buddhist | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Christian | 46% | 41% | 44% |
Hindu | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Jewish | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Muslim | 0% | 5% | 8% |
No religion or belief | 40% | 37% | 35% |
Sikh | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Prefer not to say | 8% | 9% | 8% |
What is your sexual orientation? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Bisexual | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Gay/Lesbian | 0% | 2% | 2% |
Heterosexual | 90% | 89% | 90% |
Other | 2% | 2% | 0% |
Prefer not to say | 6% | 7% | 6% |
What type of school did you attend between the ages of 11-16? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Attended school outside the UK | 2% | 8% | 4% |
Independent / fee-paying school | 4% | 12% | 8% |
Independent / fee-paying school where I received a bursary covering 90% or more of my tuition | 2% | 2% | 1% |
State-run or state-funded school (non-selective) | 58% | 53% | 55% |
State-run or state-funded school (selective on academic, faith or other grounds) | 31% | 20% | 27% |
Prefer not to say | 2% | 6% | 5% |
Did either of your parents attend university & gain a degree by the time you were 18? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Don’t know | 4% | 0% | 0% |
No | 71% | 62% | 70% |
Yes | 21% | 31% | 24% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 7% | 6% |
What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were 14? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
Professional | 48% | 48% | 42% |
Intermediate | 15% | 12% | 14% |
Lower Socio-Economic | 27% | 24% | 29% |
Other | 0% | 6% | 5% |
Prefer not to say | 10% | 10% | 10% |
Are you a primary carer for a child, or children, under 18? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
No | 54% | 68% | 66% |
Yes | 44% | 28% | 31% |
Prefer not to say | 2% | 4% | 3% |
Do you care for someone with long-term health issues caused by disability or age? | DTM | North West | Eng & Wal |
No | 88% | 86% | 86% |
Yes, 1-19 hours a week | 6% | 6% | 77% |
Yes, 20-49 hours a week | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Yes, 50 or more hours a week | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Prefer not to say | 4% | 6% | 5% |