As students received their exam results this August, the legal profession has an opportunity and responsibility to support the next generations in a new way.
Too often, students are asked to consider careers in law with little context and limited access to information, let alone connections. The profession still carries an aura of exclusivity — particularly for those without family in the industry, private schooling or exposure to professional role models. And while the sector has made significant strides in widening access through outreach and scholarship schemes, the quiet truth is that many students still don’t know where to start.
Opportunity isn’t the only barrier — there is also proximity. We underestimate how powerful it is for a young person to speak to someone in the job they aspire to. What’s it really like to study law? How do you choose a university? What if your results weren’t what you hoped for? These are real questions with no easy answers, and they’re often left unspoken.
This is where firms can step in — not with a marketing campaign, but with genuine access. We don’t need to wait for recruitment time or develop organised outreach. Sometimes, the most impactful thing we can offer is our time, candour and willingness to meet people where they are.
This is why my firm has launched a simple initiative: a live telephone helpline offering career advice to students and parents during exam results week. It connects callers directly with our trainees and people team, providing a human, honest voice to guide young people curious about a future in law.
If law firms want to be relevant, inclusive and sustainable in the years ahead, we need to stop guarding the gates and start opening the door
On the surface, it’s straightforward. But the reason behind it reflects something much deeper: the need to fundamentally rethink how we make our profession accessible. Our helpline isn’t a polished PR product. It’s a phone number and a promise: we’re here to listen, and we’re here to help.
Of course, widening access is not a one-week activity. It’s part of a broader strategy to rethink how talent flows into the legal profession and who gets to see themselves as part of it. But it starts with moments like this — times when the profession can either remain silent or reach out with practical empathy.
As chief people officer, I see the long-term value of diverse, grounded and motivated entrants to the legal sector. But more than that, I see the human need for reassurance, information and encouragement.
If law firms want to be relevant, inclusive and sustainable in the years ahead, we need to stop guarding the gates and start opening the door, especially when students are standing outside, unsure whether they belong. Because they do — and it’s on us to show them
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