As an international law firm, we recognise that we have an important part to play in increasing opportunities for young people and levelling the playing field. Our Career Start programme, is one of the ways we are working to widen access to the legal profession and increase social mobility. Since the launch of the programme in 2019 we have worked with over 120 students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who are interested in a career in professional services.

This year during our work experience week, we were delighted to collaborate with our Real Estates Disputes Team and our client, Ballymore, a leading property development company. The students completed a case study across the week, based on a real-life scenario - which included a site visit to the London City Island and the Good Luck Hope developments. The students were given a challenge to address, and they pitched their strategies to the client at the end of the week. The presentations and their creative ideas were met with positive feedback and the students told us they enjoyed gaining a practical understanding of the realistic relationship between lawyers and their clients.