Equality and diversity guides Supporting our members as employers and service providers

Equality and diversity guides

We are committed to helping the solicitor profession discharge its duties under the equality and diversity legislation. To do this we have published a range of guides which aim to support organisations, large and small, in improving their performance around equality and diversity:

• Ensuring fairness, creating opportunity: a practical guide to equality and diversity for Scottish solicitors
• Ensuring fairness, creating more accessible services
• Ensuring fairness, closing the pay gap
• Guide to preventing bullying and harassment
• Menopause support resource

These guides are based on research we have done with solicitors and equality bodies over the last ten years.

We have ten simple Equality Standards, that law firms and in-house legal teams can sign up to. We believe these will help firms improve their performance in equality, as a business and employer, and provide a better service to clients. These standards are also applicable to legal teams within organisations, and we are encouraging as many firms and organisations as possible to adopt these standards.

We also publish advice and information for parents in the profession, which also includes information on best practice for managing maternity and paternity leave.

Solicitors should be aware equality is part of their core professional and regulatory standards under Rule B1.15 of the Standards of Conduct.

For more information please contact diversity@lawscot.org.uk