“At Irwin Mitchell, we regard social mobility initiatives as not only the right thing to do from a social justice perspective but business critical, to make sure that we have a diverse and inclusive team of lawyers reflecting the wide demographic of our clients. Our internal listening group, IMAspiring, does a fantastic job each year of providing high quality work placements to students from less advantaged backgrounds and from all across the country.”
Tracey Storey
Head of Serious Injury, London
Lead Partner for IMAspiring
Irwin Mitchell is a national Law firm and participates in the PRIME scheme in various cities across the country. The firm’s national presence and multi sited offices means that students from disadvantaged backgrounds, outside of London where many law firms are, still have the opportunity to take part in the scheme.
The programme allowed the students to develop their knowledge and understanding of what life is like in a large national law firm, alongside developing their own presentation, research and networking skills.
The programme was varied, with each student having an individual timetable and assigned buddy. Buddies provided support and coaching throughout the week, meeting with their students on a daily basis to discuss and reflect on what they had learnt, answer any questions, and provide guidance on careers in the law.
Each of the students shadowed lawyers across a variety of teams, from personal injury to family to commercial litigation. This included undertaking research tasks, attending trials, conferences with clients and barristers. The students also got the opportunity to interview a partner on a one to one basis, asking them about their own routes into Law.
The students identified their highlight of the week as a visit to the Old Bailey, where they observed a conspiracy to commit murder trial. The week then concluded with the students taking part in a debate and finally presenting on a topical issue and discussing their experiences in front of a large audience. Students were visibly seen to grow in confidence over the week and showcasing these skills was a great achievement.
“I would like to thank you and everyone at Irwin Mitchell for having me and for the amazing experience I had. It was beyond anything I had imagined…Everyone at Irwin Mitchell was so welcoming and kind, it made me feel part of the team in every department I worked in. Before my experience at Irwin Mitchell, I didn’t consider Law as a pathway for me in the future, however after this breath-taking week, I now have my mind set on Law.”
PRIME Student
