UK 
United States
In 2022, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reported that just 3% of lawyers working in UK firms were Black.
In response to the concerning study, UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson launched its REACH mentorship programme, aiming to advance Black representation across its organisation and the wider legal profession.
Now in its fifth year, it has helped nearly 60 aspiring legal professionals get their foot on the career ladder, 17 of whom have secured a position at Browne Jacobson, with a fresh cohort recently introduced to the programme.
Structural barriers facing Black lawyers
Black people remain disproportionately underrepresented in the legal profession. According to the latest SRA figures published in March 2026:
