Freshfields and UCL launch new scholarships to tackle social mobility

As well as providing financial support, the scheme will see Freshfields offer successful candidates eight weeks paid work experience per academic year and the guarantee of a training contract interview, which, if successful, will see the students benefit from a grant covering the full cost of law school.

Launching the initiative, Freshfields’ Senior Partner, Will Lawes, said: “Whether the legal profession likes it or not city law firms are seen as too remote and closed to many students and families from less privileged backgrounds. The purpose of this partnership with UCL is to provide students from less privileged backgrounds with a genuine opportunity of building a successful career in the law and is a further demonstration of Freshfields’ commitment to making social mobility a reality. 

“By 2014 we will have six scholarships running at the same time and, whilst our financial contribution is important to these students, we believe our commitment to work experience and mentoring will be equally critical to their success.”

Professor Malcolm Grant, President & Provost of UCL, said: “At UCL we are committed to providing a world-class education to talented students regardless of their background.  UCL was founded in 1826 to open up education for the first time to students from any race, class or religion and this innovative partnership with Freshfields will help us continue in that tradition”.

Dame Hazel Genn, Dean of Laws at UCL, said: “The UCL Laws Faculty is thrilled to be working with Freshfields to offer this opportunity to outstanding students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. It is a significant contribution to the objective of improving social mobility.”

Lord McNally, Minister of State for the Ministry of Justice, said: “I am delighted to welcome this initiative and hope it encourages similar opportunities to be developed in future. This kind of financial and practical support is vital in enabling those from less privileged backgrounds to access the legal profession more readily.”

Freshfields partner, Barry O’Brien, who will be co-ordinating the scholarship, said: “This partnership with UCL takes work experience and mentoring to a different level. Whilst we are proud of our community and social responsibility programme this scheme tackles the issue of social mobility into the legal profession head on. With a guaranteed interview for a training contract and twenty four weeks work experience with the firm, the scholarship students will have the perfect platform for a successful career with us.”