According to the SRA in 2025, 57% of lawyers come from a professional background (compared to a national average of 37%). In addition, 21% of lawyers attended an independent/fee paying school, which is almost three times higher than the national average of 7.5%.

In response to this, Aspiring Solicitors is proud to have founded the SMART (‘Social Mobility and Real Talent’) Legal Commitment.

The SMART Legal Commitment asks UK law firms to pledge funding to a grant programme which helps support socially mobile vacation scheme candidates and future trainee solicitors to:

  • pay for safe/suitable hotel accommodation to eligible socially mobile vacation scheme candidates; and
  • provide suitable agreed IT equipment (laptops etc), professional workwear and suitable other agreed expenses to eligible socially mobile future trainees of the firm.

The purpose of the SMART Legal Commitment is to:

  • remove the stigma of socially mobile vacation scheme candidates and/or future trainees requesting funding/financial assistance to progress in their legal journey;
  • remove financial barriers to joining the legal profession;
  • reduce the administrative burden on firms; and
  • help progress social mobility in the legal profession.

All candidates who might be eligible for grant funding will be made aware of the SMART Legal Commitment through their employer or placement provider, but the supporting organisation will not be informed of the names of any applicants, nor will they contribute to the decision-making process. This helps remove the stigma associated with requesting financial support.

Ensuring that we have a diverse workforce is paramount to the success of our firm. We continually review our early careers recruitment processes to ensure candidates from all backgrounds can succeed. Collaborating with Aspiring Solicitors on the SMART commitment is such a positive next step in helping us to further support candidates by reducing some of the financial burdens that stop candidates from applying to the legal profession.

Gráinne Mitchell | Addleshaw Goddard
Early Careers

We are proud to be a part of the SMART Legal Commitment. This initiative aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to address barriers to access to the legal profession and to support early careers talent. By providing financial assistance to those who need it most, we are helping to create a more inclusive and diverse legal community.

Carolyn O'Connor | Ashurst
Senior HR Manager

We are proud to be part of the SMART Commitment, which aligns perfectly with our values of inclusivity and support for diverse talent. By providing financial assistance we aim to remove barriers to entry to the profession and ensure that all our future trainees have the resources they need to succeed from day one.

Hannah Lyons | Bates Wells
Training Principal

At Eversheds Sutherland, we place immense importance on equality of opportunity. Through our Unlocked programme and by witnessing the exceptional talent that emerges from diverse backgrounds within our own teams, we recognise that outstanding lawyers can come from any walk of life. By eliminating stigma and creating a level playing field from the outset, we believe we’re collectively laying the foundation for the industry’s future success. We’re delighted to support Aspiring Solicitors in this initiative and eagerly anticipate a more equitable next generation of legal talent.

Lorraine Kilborn | Eversheds Sutherland
Chief People Officer

Become a Supporting Organisation

The benefits of pledging to the SMART Legal Commitment are numerous. By providing funding for safe accommodation, laptops, professional workwear, and other expenses, law firms can help to level the playing field for socially mobile candidates.

This not only benefits the individuals themselves, but also enriches the legal profession as a whole by bringing in a wider range of perspectives and experiences.

The SMART Legal Commitment is a collaborative effort that requires the support of law firms across the UK. We encourage all firms to consider joining this important pledge and making a positive impact on the future of the legal profession.

Chris White, Founder and CEO of Aspiring Solicitors comments: “We anticipate the SMART Commitment will facilitate meaningful progression on social mobility that will help candidates thrive from day one. To date, the SMART Commitment has received over 70 applications in six months, and we expect this figure to increase where more firms and candidates are aware of the offering. ”

Please contact us for further information on how your organisation can be part of the SMART Legal Commitment.

Definition of Social Mobility

Given ‘social mobility’ is not a defined characteristic in the Equality Act 2010, there are multiple variations of this meaning. Aspiring Solicitors considers this to include (but not limited to) candidates who (i) were eligible for free school meals or pupil premium aged 11-16 due to financial limitations, (ii) were state school comprehensive educated and the first generation of their family to attend university, (iii) spent time in local authority care (iv) came to this country as a refugee, or (v) the occupation of the main household earner at 14 years old was one of the below:

  • technical and craft occupations such as: motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, train driver.
  • routine, semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter or waitress, bar staff
  • long-term unemployed (claimed Jobseeker’s Allowance or earlier unemployment benefit for more than a year).