The REACH (Race, Equality and Cultural Heritage) programme has been launched across the UK and Ireland firm’s seven offices, including Dublin, following a two-year pilot programme.

The pilot provided support to 25 individuals, of whom 16 went on to secure employment within the business.

Participants, who must be 16 and over, will enrol on a six-month programme in which they are paired with a mentor from Browne Jacobson or one of its partners.

Mentors will share their skills, knowledge and insights to help them gain an understanding of what it is like to work in the legal profession. The scheme also includes a two-week work experience placement in one of Browne Jacobson’s seven offices.

Oliver Holmes, head of diversity and inclusion at Browne Jacobson, said: “Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), in particular driving race equality, is one of our core values as a business — to be at the forefront of, and make a positive impact on, society’s biggest issues.

“It also helps us to better serve the needs of our clients, as well as better represents the communities in which we operate.

“The legal profession is a notoriously competitive environment when it comes to attracting and retaining the best legal talent around.

“As such, our strategy’s core objective has been to ensure we have a diverse and engaged talent pipeline from which we can recruit our work experience students, apprentices, legal assistants and, in due course, future junior solicitors.”