Travers Smith

Diversity at Travers Smith:

LGBT+ Group

The group is an open and inclusive network for members of the LGBTQ+ community as well their friends and allies. It provides a welcoming and supportive space for people to discuss issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Sponsored by the firm’s senior LGBTQ+ champion, Daniel Gerring, the group’s aims are to:
– Raise awareness of sexual orientation and gender identity inclusion across the Firm
– Provide input into the firm’s position and policy on diversity issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity
– Raise the visibility of positive LGBTQ+ role models across the Firm
– Connect to the market and wider community by providing opportunities to engage with our clients and potential clients, as well as colleagues in other professional services firms.

The group has led a number of exciting initiatives at the firm, including:
– Developing a pioneering mentoring scheme in partnership with LGBT+ charity Just Like Us which aims to give LGBTQ+ graduates the skills, confidence and support they need as they transition from university life to full time employment.
– Supporting Stonewall’s rainbow laces campaign and encouraging to “lace up for equality” to help kick homophobia out of sport.
– Creating the Travers Smith lgbtQ@cam Doctoral Bursary to support the University of Cambridge’s world leading lgbtQ@cam programme

In addition, the group hosts a number of informal social events, as well as awareness raising events throughout the year.

BAME Group

The Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) Group’s goal is to promote and celebrate difference. Focussing on race and ethnicity, the group aims to build awareness, foster relationships across the firm, share best practice and build links with the wider community (including schools, universities and businesses).

Sponsored by Mahesh Varia, a partner and member of the firm’s D&I Board, the BAME Group have been instrumental in leading a series of innovative events and initiatives, including:
– Developing a booklet aimed at promoting effective BAME allyship.
– Running a Black Music event during Black History Month to help showcase music and musicians from the black community.
– Running an event in partnership with Foundervine (a social enterprise that supports women and black ethnic minorities build and scale start-ups).
– Partnering with JUSTICE on a research project to explore how to tackle racial disparity in youth justice.

In addition, the group hosts a number of informal socials, as well as awareness raising events throughout the year.

Gender Balance Group

The Gender Balance Group’s aim is to inspire change and continual progress in gender equality for all our people as well as our clients and the wider community and to ensure that we all feel a sense of ownership in helping create a more inclusive workplace at Travers Smith.

Sponsored by two partners, Lucie Cawood and Huw Jenkin, the main aims of the Gender Balance Group are to:
– Celebrate and promote positive role models, including both women and men;
– Explore the role of men and women in creating an inclusive workplace;
– Provide our people with opportunities to share experience through informal peer group networking;
– Connect with our clients and wider community to explore opportunities for collaboration on gender diversity issues;
– Generate opportunities for professional development to help build a more diverse talent pipeline at Travers Smith; and
– Generate discussion about professional and personal successes and the leadership journeys provided by inspirational role models from the firm and wider society.

The group has led a number of exciting initiatives at the firm, including:

– Delivering a series of sessions examining role modelling and inclusive leadership. The series includes sessions specifically for women (including trans women) to enable female fee earners to access more senior female lawyers at the firm. The group also delivered a session on male role modelling to examine toxic masculinity and the role men can play in promoting gender equality.
– Hosting panel discussion and seminars throughout the year to examine the role we all have to play in addressing gender imbalance
– Instigated a partnership with the Women’s Sports Trust and delivered sessions with world class sportspeople and athletes to explore the links between gender, leadership, sport and performance.

In addition, the group hosts a number of informal socials, as well as awareness raising events throughout the year.