BPP partners with law firms to launch ‘Reverse Mentoring Scheme’

BPP University is pleased to announce the launch of its ‘Reverse Mentoring Scheme’ which is set to offer law firms an opportunity to enhance their ED&I strategies.

The innovative new scheme will help organisations gain an insight into the mindsets and experiences of students from a diverse range of backgrounds. Using the experience and alternative insights that law and non-law graduates offer, the initiative aims to influence accessibility and drive change in the ED&I space.

In a flip to the traditional mentoring concept, the scheme enables law firm mentees to learn from their law student mentors, through a four-month partnership. This time allows for a series of mentor/mentee consultations that will review a firm’s ED&I strategy across a range of areas.  These could include the firm’s website, social media presence, recruitment and progression policies as well as the employees’ perception of what ED&I means to the firm.

Through the BPP Reverse Mentoring Scheme the mentee will have an opportunity to assess and challenge its ED&I strategy from a different perspective and to implement positive change. The mentor gains new skills and is introduced to company culture, values, and business strategy. In addition, the mentor can tap into years of industry experience accrued by the mentee.

Before the scheme begins, the student mentor and firm mentee agree clear boundaries as to the remit of the mentor’s role and the focus of their consultations.  Each session is considered from the ‘lived experience’ of the student mentor and include aspects of the student mentor’s identity which they feel are relevant or impact upon their experience. Both parties are required to keep an open mind throughout the process, to keep the conversation relevant and be as authentic as possible.

The composition of the legal industry remains widely populated by a largely similar racial and gender group. According to the latest *ABA National Lawyer Population Survey, 86% of lawyers are white, a statistic that hasn’t changed much over the past decade.

To date, BPP University has partnered 60 law students with the following firms across Leeds and Manchester: JMW, Stephensons, DWF, Horwich Farrelly, Stowe Family Law, Gateley PLC, Mills and Reeve, Gordons LLP, Weightmans, Hudgell, Brabners and Blacks. This impressive response demonstrates the desire from the sector to learn and create change.

Tim Maddison and Victoria Walden, Heads of Law at BPP University Law School in Leeds and Manchester respectively, said “We couldn’t be more delighted to launch BPP’s Reverse Mentoring programme out of our Leeds and Manchester law schools. The uptake from both our regional law firms and our students has been incredible which illustrates our mutual passion for Diversity and Inclusion and affirms how seriously the legal industry is taking this issue.

BPP’s student body is fantastically diverse, and we hope this programme will help to widen access to the legal profession not only for our students, but for all future lawyers. We very much look forward to hearing the findings and recommendations from the programme and to rolling out the scheme on a national basis.”

Charles Heppenstall, partner at Weightmans LLP said “Weightmans are extremely keen to take part in the Reverse Mentoring scheme. The students’ feedback will allow us to tailor the guidance we are able to give, and thus maximise the benefit we can offer. We are very much looking forward to hearing what the students have to say!”

If you are a law firm or a BPP student and would like to know more about the BPP Reverse Mentoring Scheme, please contact timmaddison@bpp.com or victoriawalden@bpp.com