Jarred Consulting

An expert-led podcast for people who want to get into law

Did you know that Jarred founder Kerry is also a podcast host? ReImagine Law is an expert-led podcast for people who want to get into law, and she and her co-hosts explore the paths available, the issues involved and share insider knowledge on how to succeed. In this episode, Kerry is joined by Chris White founder of leading diversity platform Aspiring Solicitors and Jonny Hurst of educational group BPP. They explore the new Solicitor’s Qualifying Examination (the SQE) and the impact it’s having on diversity, inclusion and equity in the sector. Is it making a difference? They talk about:

• Concerns over the latest round of SQE examinations and the data that shows a disproportionate impact against diverse talent.
• The reasons behind pass rate disparity and how they range from students having to work throughout preparation to survive, to the costs of the exams themselves.
• The grants, bursaries and other free support available and what every student can do to help themselves if they fail the SQE. Such as pausing for breath before retakes, analysing where they went wrong, strategising a way forward and of course, reaching out for readily available help.
• The different routes now available to get into the legal profession including solicitor apprenticeships and why these open up huge opportunities for diversity in the law profession.

‘Now is more important than ever to be focused on diversity, inclusion and equity and we can’t lose momentum on this.’ Chris says. ‘We must speak up against and remove rhetoric about diversity being old hat and we’ve gone too far.’ Whether you work in the legal profession or not, this is an important sentiment with wide-reaching importance across all sectors. It’s about the less obvious, more systematic mechanisms at play that we need to be aware of and overturn where we can. Like Chris and Jonny we can be part of direct and indirect action to ensure the next generation of professionals and leaders represent the diversity of our world. To enjoy the insider’s podcast for people who want to get into law click here or search ReImagine Law Diversity and the SQE on your favourite podcast platform. Have a great day.  We’d love to hear from you.