Apply now!Diversity at Womble Bond Dickinson
Discover how Womble Bond Dickinson is working towards a more diverse and inclusive legal profession.
Our work around social mobility includes our refreshed Early Careers Programme, our work with schools and universities, as well as our Apprenticeship programme. We are passionate and dedicated about inspiring young people to unlock their potential and widening access to the legal profession.
We use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) for our Early Talent recruitment (graduates and apprenticeships). The system allows us to understand the context in which a candidate’s experiences have been gained and enables us to identify top candidates from the widest talent pool possible.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At WBD, our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is central to how we operate as a responsible business. Our purpose is to provide fair access, opportunity and treatment for all, ensuring that everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to thrive. This commitment shapes our long-term direction and is embedded across every stage of the colleague and client experience.
Our approach goes beyond policy; we focus on creating meaningful, sustainable change by bringing DEI to life through everyday actions and behaviours. We actively work to remove barriers, challenge bias and recognise that individuals have different starting points. By doing so, we create an environment where people can be themselves, contribute fully and achieve their potential. Our DEI strategy is structured around four key priorities: inclusive recruitment, fostering respectful and inclusive environments, ensuring fair recognition and reward, and promoting DEI externally. This ensures that inclusion is consistently embedded across the full employee lifecycle and into our relationships with clients and communities. Our actions and achievements over FY 2025/26 include:
- Launched a comprehensive DEI training programme, including mandatory DEI essentials training (completed by 77% of colleagues), alongside refreshed unconscious bias, microaggressions, and targeted manager training on neurodiversity and workplace adjustments.
- Introduced our firmwide Courageous Conversations series, creating safe spaces for open, honest dialogue on complex and sensitive topics, encouraging curiosity, reflection and inclusive behaviours.
- Strengthened inclusive recruitment practices through initiatives such as the introduction of the Neurosight assessment tool, closer collaboration with recruitment agencies, and partnerships with specialist job boards to reach more diverse talent.
- Enhanced data-led decision making by investing in DEI data capture and analysis, alongside promoting our Count Me In campaign to improve diversity data sharing and insight.
- Delivered Gender Pay Gap listening sessions with colleagues across the business, identifying key barriers to progression and informing a targeted action plan developed with senior stakeholders.
- Increased external engagement by partnering with clients and industry groups, including hosting neurodiversity-focused events, chairing roundtables on inclusive leadership, and contributing to the UN Global Compact Network UK DEI Working Group.
Our six networks are passionate about promoting DEI. They provide valuable insights to help shape and support the work of our DEI team and the delivery of our action plan, as well as peer support, active allyship and knowledge sharing and collaboration across the business. Event highlights from FY 2025/26 include:
- We marked Eid, Muslim Heritage Month and Bangladesh Independence Day by hosting an intimate lunch with clients and guests, creating space to explore cultural literacy and the distinction between heritage and religion. The discussion also highlighted intersectionality, with a particular focus on women’s experiences.
- As part of our ‘Women In’ series, we hosted a panel event exploring the challenges facing women in the chemical and manufacturing sectors. With over 50 attendees, the discussion highlighted barriers to progress, shared personal insights and emphasised the importance of active allyship.
- During Pride Month, we welcomed Baroness Ruth Hunt, former CEO of Stonewall, to speak with colleagues and clients. She shared her personal journey, insights on advocacy and her vision for advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion.
- We ran “Dos and Donuts” sessions across our offices, encouraging colleagues to make practical inclusion pledges while engaging in informal conversations. These included actions such as sharing meeting agendas, promoting workplace adjustments and making greater use of sensory tools and inclusive resources.
- We hosted a screening of Speak Little One: The World is Listening, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker and TEDx speaker Louise Ndibwirende. The session explored the complexities of adoption through the lived experiences of adoptees and created space for open discussion.
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