Thompsons has achieved a top six place in a ground breaking survey of national and international law firms’ records on diversity.

The Black Solicitors Network (BSN) Diversity League Table 2007 details the demographic trends of major law firms in respect of ethnicity and gender from paralegal to partner.

Thompsons ranked 6th out of 81 firms which participated in the survey. We did particularly well in our gender profiles, with overall a higher proportion of women employed in the firm than men.

The survey results showed that 55% of Thompsons’ solicitors are women and that 53% of managers and senior staff are women.

There is female representation at all levels across the firm - including representation at Executive and Supervisory Board level.

Our ethnic minority ranking was also impressive, with 9.5% of the firm's workforce being from an ethnic minority, above the figure for the UK population overall. There is ethnic minority representation at most levels of the firm, including at equity and salaried partner level and 11.5% of our solicitors are from an ethnic minority.

The BSN report highlighted Thompsons’ commitment to equality of opportunity, including the fact that an annual equal opportunities report is presented to the firm’s executive and supervisory boards.

Stephen Cavalier said: “Thompsons’ is genuinely committed to equal opportunities and these survey results demonstrate that. The survey shows the progress we have made, something of which as a firm we are proud.

“Our Equality Action Plan is our checklist and is monitored and reviewed annually. One of our most progressive objectives is for each branch manager to aim to have a staffing compliment which reflects the ethnic composition of their region. How many other law firms can say that?”

The Black Solicitors’ Network (BSN) was formed in May 1995 to promote the interests of black solicitors and is recognised as a Law Society Group.