Equality and Diversity
All solicitors, along with staff employed by them, are required by sub-rule 6.01 of the Code of Conduct to ensure that they avoid discrimination in their dealings with partners, employees, clients and others. Firms are also required to have 'an appropriate policy for preventing discrimination and harassment and promoting equality and diversity within your firm'. The obligations are therefore to avoid the negative of discrimination and to work towards the positive of achieving a more diverse practice where all will be treated equally regardless of their background.
Under sub-rule 6.03 firms in private practice need to adopt a suitable policy to prevent discrimination and to promote diversity in their professional dealings with colleagues, clients and others.
There is more to rule 6 compliance than having the right words in your office manual, however. The accompanying guidance notes to the rule provide that 'you may wish to give consideration to providing staff with training' and that 'a policy which is not brought to their attention will not be an appropriate policy' (guidance note 22).
Our Diversity training modules provide practical advice on this important, and often sensitive, topic. For details of our in-house face-to-face sessions, counting for CPD where required, see Equality and Diversity Training. We offer different sessions for partners and management (includes a consideration of employment issues) and a more general staff session (suitable for mixed groups of fee earners and support personnel) which is confined to client service issues.
Our Equality and Diversity Training CD
As an alternative to formal training sessions the Web4Law Avoiding Discrimination and Achieving Diversity Resource CD contains all that you will need in your firm to ensure compliance with these important provisions, including:
- Introductory text and presentation for management
- Partner and staff training presentation for collective or individual viewing
- Draft policy, with commentary on how it should be adapted for your firm
This training disc has all the flexibility you may require and provides an invaluable tool for staff induction training packages. The additional completion of a brief questionnaire will enable delegates to acquire 2 hours of CPD under the scheme administered by the SRA. The Avoiding Discrimination and Achieving Diversity Resource CD has been prepared by Matthew Moore - editor and principal contributor to the Lexcel Office Procedures Manual.
| Price of CD: £25 | CPD fee: £15/delegate (2 hours) |
Order Your Copies Here
Ordering your Diversity Training CD could not be easier. Simply complete the online Order Form and, once your payment has been processed, the CD will be sent to you via Royal Mail.