Ashtons Legal recognised for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives

Ashtons Legal is pleased to announce that its work on promoting diversity and inclusion within the workplace has been recognised with a win at the recent Cambridge Law Society Excellence Awards 2024.

Scooping the EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) Initiative of the Year award the independent judging panel was ‘impressed with Ashtons’ nomination’ and ‘recognised the firm’s contribution to excellence in the legal community’.

Ashtons’ Impact is the firm’s approach to how it makes a positive impact to the world around it. As well as delivering initiatives to build an inclusive and diverse business, Ashtons’ Impact looks to broaden access to the legal profession, minimise the firm’s impact on the environment, support charitable work, and play active roles in local communities.

Through the Diversity & Inclusion, Charities & Pro-Bono and Environmental Sustainability Committees, the firm champions projects and initiatives that positively impact the communities in which their staff choose to live and work. Ashtons recently hosted their second Mooting competition for local schools targeting state-run schools, providing access to the legal sector for students with an interest in law. The Moot is well supported by local schools, and the finalists work together to present their case to the judge, who is a barrister from Fenners Chambers in Cambridge. The 2024 winners of the ‘Ashtons’ Annual Mooting Cup’ were Abbeygate Sixth Form College, Bury St Edmunds.

Ashtons Legal was one of the first firms nationally to adopt the six-year Solicitors Apprenticeship and is an advocate for supporting different routes into the law, currently having a mix of staff doing training contracts, solicitor apprenticeships and CILEX. One staff member who regularly speaks at webinars, careers fayres and in schools is Sarah-Jane Legge who qualified in 2022 following completion of the six-year Solicitors Apprenticeship.

The firm is proud of its initiatives and working practices that support diversity and inclusion including family-friendly policies (enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay), Paid Time Off (employees take time off they feel they need rather than imposing limits), flexible working which allows employees a work-life blend with no imposed office work days, three leadership programmes, career conversation and support, and coaching and mentoring schemes.

Ashtons’ support international awareness days, are a Disability Confident and an Endometriosis Friendly employer. Menopause workshops have been delivered internally and a training programme for line managers on Neurodiversity is in progress.

Ashtons has a healthy sponsorship budget and supports a wide range of causes, including Bury St Edmunds Disability Football Club and women’s football as sponsors for a number of years of ITFC Women’s Team.