Belong Network associate Edwina Peart (pictured centre above, with Brabners’ Joe Davis – left, and Thom Cuell – right) lead a discussion among the firm’s staff in Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire offices around what it means to be an ally – and the differences between allyship, affinity and coalition. Members of the Brabners teams shared topics around diversity and inclusion that they were new to, or keen to learn more about. The lunch time talk at Brabners central Manchester office took place as part of a range of events being run by the firm as part of its own diversity week. Brabners has five groups run by staff members looking at LGBT issues, gender diversity, social mobility and BAME issues which feed into wider company policy aimed at increasing diversity among the legal profession. The firm also recently partnered with charity We Love MCR to launch a social mobility bursary scheme in memory of late partner Maurice Watkins CBE aimed at helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to start a career in law.

For more information about the training or consultancy Belong Network can offer on issues around diversity, inclusion and social cohesion, contact admin@belongnetwork.co.uk.