Lack of social mobility could be costing North East businesses.
A new report shows that young people in the North East are more likely to enter ‘working-class jobs’ than peers from similar backgrounds in areas with greater social mobility. This means that businesses could be missing out on fantastic regional talent.
Local commercial law firm Muckle LLP has been developing its social diversity policy for several years, most significantly through its involvement in creating the North East Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme (NESA).
Jessica Gray, solicitor in the firm’s real estate team, talks about her own journey and how other businesses could benefit from prioritising recruiting from diverse backgrounds.
Historically, the legal profession in the UK has been dominated by individuals from privileged backgrounds – the perception, and often reality, was ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’.
Jessica says the elitist perception around a law career was a struggle: “During my undergraduate degree, a careers adviser recommended that I speak to family friends who could potentially offer some legal work experience, as this would be difficult to find without any personal connections.
“I was disappointed and frustrated at this advice; I did not have any connections in the legal industry and was worried that this would be a barrier to securing a training contract. When participating in vacation schemes and assessment days, it was difficult not to compare my own non-legal background with candidates who had years of experience in the legal sector.”
Statistics published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in 2025 indicate that social mobility is improving. For example, the percentage of lawyers from an intermediate socio-economic background has increased from 5% in 2019 to 13% in 2023, and the proportion of lawyers attending fee-paying schools has decreased from 23% in 2015 to 21% in 2023.
But in a sobering report, the Sutton Trust highlighted that the top 20 constituencies with the best social mobility in England are all in London, with Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West ranking the lowest. So there is definitely more to be done, particularly in our region – across all sectors, not just law.
Muckle has long recognised the benefits of breaking down barriers to law careers. Most recently, it has started blind scoring all graduate recruitment applications. Jessica says the firm is continuously looking at ways to improve: “During my secondary school education, I admittedly had a very limited knowledge of the legal profession, especially the commercial sector. Careers fairs at my secondary school were uninspiring, with a very limited range of businesses in attendance.
“As part of Muckle’s social diversity strategy, we are now reaching out to schools where the percentage of students claiming free school meals is higher than the national average to offer career talks and attendance at careers fairs. I think this is a great step in the right direction to engage with talented students from a lower socio-economic background.
“A brief introduction to a career in law could encourage students to research the opportunities available in the legal profession at a young age. Muckle is also expanding its work experience programmes to ensure our one-week placements are offered to a more diverse range of schools and students in the North East.”
Jessica took the traditional university route but says schemes like NESA are vital in attracting people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into law: “There are many reasons young people choose not to attend university, whether this is because of caring obligations or the substantial costs of an undergraduate degree. The NESA scheme offers an alternative route into law and, as the scheme grows, I think it will be a fundamental part of improving social mobility in the commercial legal profession.
“My secondary school history teacher encouraged me to apply for university, and he reassured me that a wider range of careers would become apparent once I attended university. Whilst my teacher was correct, many students at state schools may not have this kind of guidance. This is why it is important for businesses to reach out and offer career insights to these schools; a brief conversation could be the catalyst in inspiring students from less privileged backgrounds to pursue a career in any number of sectors they may not have thought were possible.
“Prioritising social mobility is important to improve the opportunities available to hard-working students, regardless of their background, as well as creating a diverse workforce that can offer a more rounded service for clients.”
For more information on Muckle’s social diversity strategy, visit www.muckle-llp.com