Training Contract Working Party

By Ruth Fenton

So many of our members are having problems obtaining training contracts and work placements, and with this obstacle in mind, the GSD has set up a Training Contract Working Party to bring awareness to the legal profession and develop special relationships with law firms. This way we can gain an insight into which law firms are truly disability friendly. Evidence currently shows that many firms are not taking disability issues seriously enough and as a result some students are being discriminated against.
What we are in the process of doing:

• Open Day - we are currently in the process of setting up an open day aimed at students with disabilities with a major international law firm in the City. The open day will take place in December this year.
• We are also talking to Law Firms about the following:
• Work Placements - designated places for students with disabilities.
• Mentoring / Firm awareness.
• Student open days l shadowing l office assessment day
• Student recognition
• Feedback to students who are unsuccessful at training contract / work placement - sometimes firms refuse to give feedback. To a student
  who has disclosed their disability it starts to raise questions in their mind and can open the firm up to litigation.
• Creating a model law firm - showing the legal profession and the General Public that "a model law firm" is at the forefront of employing disabled solicitors and staff and providing the best possible service for clients with disabilities.

If you would like to join our working party or could help with any of the above we would very much like to hear from you.