We are delighted to be hosting our first Legal CORE Think Tank in 2022.

Our Think Tank, or “hackathon”, is the first in a series of events, seeing individuals come together from member firms to discuss ideas and solutions to shared challenges. Our first event will be focused on retention of ethnic minority talent in law firms, exploring some of the themes, opportunities and ideas we can develop together in 2022. The session is designed to provide a forum to generate new and innovative ideas, whilst creating a safe space for participants to share insights and experiences. The law firms involved will be committed to reviewing the ideas generated, with a view to taking a number of these forward to ideation and development.

We know that many law firms have work to do to ensure diverse representation at every level, and to create an inclusive culture where everyone can excel at work. By sharing ideas, insights and by collaborating with other firms, we have an opportunity to make tangible and impactful change across the profession. We also recognize that challenges faced with regards to retention, inclusion and diversity are complex; we do not expect a Think Tank to be able to address or solve for all, but hope we can engage in positive dialogue and to create a platform for learning, idea generation and action.

When will the Think Tank take place?

Tuesday 1 February 2022 – 9.30am – 12.30pm (3 hours). We have decided to host our first event virtually given the current environment. While this limits the number of people we can engage in this first event, we hope to be able to host live or hybrid events in the future.

Who can take part?

We are inviting member firms to nominate 3 colleagues to take part in this first virtual event.

We strongly encourage firms to nominate participants from a range of roles across the business, and levels of seniority to ensure different experiences and perspectives. The event is open to all colleagues and we encourage firms to nominate a combination of lawyers and business services colleagues to take part. We encourage at least one senior representative to attend from each firm.

Is there a cost associated with taking part?

There will be no cost to member firms to take part in the first event. Any costs will be covered by founding firms on this occasion.

Why get involved as a firm or individual?

The Think Tank is an opportunity for firms to come together and seek to make progress collectively. It provides a platform to raise awareness of challenges, spark insightful discussion, and share collaborative best practice ideas. For individuals, the Think Tank provides an opportunity to be part of changing the legal industry for the better. By taking part, individuals will engage in challenging but insightful discussions, demonstrating problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, whilst networking with others in the profession who share their desire for change.

Interested in taking part?

If you would like to take part as a member firm please email Rachel Brooks (Rachel.brooks@freshfields.com) by 14 January to confirm. You will then be sent a Microsoft Forms survey to complete to provide the names of the individuals who will represent your firm by 21 January.

Any questions?

If you have any questions please contact Rachel Brooks.