BYlaw, the South-West network for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender lawyers, held an event considering equality and diversity in the profession at the offices of TLT on Monday 8th July.

Entitled “The Pink Ceiling”, over a 100 lawyers and HR professionals heard about steps to encourage diversity amongst the profession and the judiciary, so as to better reflect society.

Robert Bourns of TLT opens the seminar

Tim Hailes, Managing Director and Associate General Council of J.P. Morgan, re-affirmed that work atmosphere and productivity can only be enhanced by having an open culture actively allowing people to feel comfortable with their diversity.

Employment Judges Roger and Olga Harper spoke of the efforts made in the judiciary now to ensure that there is a wider pool of candidates considered.

Outgoing Law Society President, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff spoke of the efforts made by the Law Society to ensure that the professions were open to all from any background, stressing that law was a career open to all people of talent, not just those who were “white, male and stale”.

A lively discussion was chaired by Ben Tarrant, vice-president of BLS.

Delegates also heard from Tim Sigsworth of the Albert Kennedy Trust and Jeff Brattan-Wilson of Deaf Law.