Addressing Discrimination and Promoting Equality and Diversity: A Consultancy Report

Recently the firm has been taken to Employment Tribunal on the grounds of racial discrimination. The claimant was an older female applicant who was not appointed to the role even though she was the only applicant with the relevant qualifications and experience. The tribunal found in her favour, and she was awarded compensation. Several of the junior partners were worried about the bad publicity and the effect the case would have on the image of the firm and its clients.

The firm would like to apply to be on the local Council’s tendering list for legal advice on family law. The Council has very clear expectation of their contractors in terms of equal opportunities and diversity implementation. At this stage the firm would not fully meet the expectations of the Council.

A group of three junior partners recently got together in a restaurant to discuss how they might go about pushing an equality and diversity agenda. The following issues emerged:

Half the fee-earners employed by the firm are women,

Three are from ethnic minorities. 

Two of the fee earners are LGBT but have not made this public knowledge

Of the 50 partners in the firm only four are female, while none is from an ethnic minority. 

No disabled people are employed by the firm. 

The administrative staff are mainly female and from an ethnic minority.

There are rumours that some of the older partners have been known to ask female job applicants about their family commitments or plans to start a family. New solicitors are invariably appointed in their twenties and promoted internally. It is many years since an older, more experienced fee-earner was offered a position – even though several are known to have made applications. Behaviour on the part of some senior staff towards younger female employees is considered, on occasion, to have amounted to sexual harassment. Staff turnover rates are currently running at 20%. This is considerably higher than that of competitor firms of similar size. 

Assume that you are a group of consultants and have been asked by the junior partners who are concerned about the firm's equal opportunities position to give them some advice. 

1.What do you think they should aim to achieve as a priority? Please justify your decision. Please reflect on how your personal positioning has influenced this.

2. Please ensure you use relevant academic theory and evidence, practice-based reports to support your claims /argument.

3. What arguments would you suggest are deployed to ensure that the firm genuinely changes in its approach towards equal opportunities?

4. What are the key elements of an equality and diversity development plan/strategy you would include for the organisation?

5.What leadership qualities would you promote to achieve the desired change of creating an inclusive environment?

6.Using the CIPD Profession Map what skills would you highlight to be  a priority for development?