For Lawyers

Everyone can access law - because we're all involved.

When it comes to making real social change, it takes a huge effort. Not just one voice or one action, but a whole movement making a long-term commitment.

With 60+ firms onboard so far, we’re well on our way. Together, our mission is clear: to give young people from underprivileged backgrounds the chance to excel in the legal profession.

But there’s still more to do. Although some law firms run their own schemes, and our own work experience offering is growing all the time, there are still young people falling through the cracks; talented young minds who feel excluded from the world of law.

It’s time to help change that.

Key facts

All kinds of businesses can help. Both law firms and organisations with in-house legal departments can sign up.

You’ll be joining good company. Our members include all top 20 of the largest UK firms by revenue, as well as firms across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

I represent a law firm:
how can I get involved?

Make sure you can commit

Every firm involved in PRIME makes what we call the PRIME Commitment. It’s how we make sure we’re offering the right quality of experience across all placements, so you’ll only be able to sign up if you’re able to make that commitment.

Get in touch

If you can commit and you want to be part of PRIME, the next step is to sign up and register your interest.

Start offering work experience

Maybe you already offer work experience. Maybe you don’t, and this is when you’ll set it up. Either way, once you’re a member of PRIME, you can start advertising your work experience through us. You’ll become one of our profiled firms and students, parents and teachers will be able to find you via our experience finder tool.

I represent an in-house legal team:
how can I get involved?

Identify a firm or firms you’d like to work with – they should be a PRIME signatory law firm – and establish a partnership. It might be a firm who have your business on their client roster, for instance.

Agree the nature of the work experience programme and exactly how you’ll be involved. Plan activities that will develop the students’ skills, increase their knowledge of careers at your organisation, and allow them to meet your colleagues (both legal and business).

Once you’ve set up your partnership with a PRIME signatory law firm, you can now publicise your involvement in PRIME.

The PRIME Commitment and best practice

Every student who finds work experience via PRIME should be given the same chance to succeed. That means offering a certain quality of experience no matter the firm they go to, and it means setting the same level of access across the board. That’s why we came up with the PRIME Commitment. There might be some slight adjustments to your criteria – for instance, you might only accept students at year 12 and above, rather than at Year 9 – but in general, these are the rules you’ll commit to.
We've also provided a set of best practice guidelines to help you on your PRIME commitment journey, you can download these below...

Download PDF

Time to sign up

Whether you’re from a law firm or from an in-house legal department, you can sign up using the form below. If you’re a law firm with more than one office, we’d ask you to enter the details for each office that will provide UK work experience. You don’t need to mention offices where you won’t be running your programme.

Who are we?

No more than 50 words

Where are we?

Address of office where work experience will take place

What work experience do we offer?

Basic outline of programme – how long it lasts, is it residential, what will they do – bullet points, 50-150 words max

When does it happen?

Is it throughout the year, once a year, are there specific dates

Who can apply?

What are the specific criteria for your programme? Is there anything that’s different we should be aware of? Do you give any special consideration when it comes to family background and circumstances? Bullet points would be ideal here.

How many spaces are there?

A rough idea of numbers, and number of intakes if applicable

Who do I need to contact?

A specific email address or online application form for young people to get in touch – this should not be a link to a corporate homepage or CSR page, since young people may not be able to easily navigate a firm’s corporate website. If you can only apply through a charity, i.e. the Sutton Trust, then we should also say that, and we’ll give a specific contact or application page for them here.

Latest news, advice and resources

Film guide for law firms

You can download our user-generated film guide to give you the confidence to start creating your own film content to help promote your PRIME scheme. This guide is also useful for PRIME students who have been asked to participate in a film.

Download

PRIME Chair's Progress Blog

Being a PRIME member represents a serious and genuine commitment from firms and I recognise that a lot of time and effort goes into running the work experience programmes and making sure that they provide a valuable experience – thank you.

The State of the Nation report by Sandra Wallace

One of the outputs being worked on by the Commissioners is an employer toolkit, as employers often ask how they can improve their efforts and, make clear that, practical guidance would really assist.

PRIME members praised in Social Mobility Employer Index

The top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace are announced today (Wednesday 21 June) in what is believed to be the world’s first ever social mobility employer index.

A&O wins ‘Community Programme of the Year’

A&O has been recognised once again this year for its commitment to social mobility through its flagship Smart Start programme at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2017 – taking home ‘Community Programme of the Year’.