Working with the Sutton Trust, the firm will offer 16 to 18 year olds real-life experience of working in a fast-paced legal environment, and the chance to understand and develop the skills needed to pursue a career in law. 

 

“As a firm we champion social mobility and the Pathways to Law programme is an excellent way for us to put Thompsons’ commitment to diversity and social justice into practice by allowing us to connect with, and support, a new generation of lawyers.”

Jackie Molloy Head of Human Resources at Thompsons Solicitors

Claire Maton, Senior Programme Manager at the Sutton Trust, said: “Thanks to the generous support of Thompsons Solicitors in 2019, we were able to give young people from across the country valuable work experience. We know how important these experiences are for young people to gain access to the profession, and make informed decisions about their future careers, so we are grateful to Thompsons for their ongoing support and commitment to championing social mobility.”

Who is the Sutton Trust?

Since 1997, the Sutton Trust has championed social mobility - from birth to the workplace - so that all young people have the chance to succeed in life. The Trust achieves this through evidence-led programmes, agenda-setting research and policy influence. These programmes have supported more than 5,000 young people each year, helping them to realise their aspirations.

What is the ‘Pathways to Law’ programme?

The Sutton Trust’s Pathways to Law programme allows A-level students to gain real-life work experience at law firms across the UK, including Thompsons Solicitors. Students were paired with lawyers at Thompsons to shadow them for a week – sometimes even attending court with them – while working autonomously on projects to present back to senior members of the team. The ultimate aim of the programme is to widen access to the legal profession, and ensure law firms were not missing out on new talent from non-privileged backgrounds.