Baroness Floella Benjamin, one of the first black television presenters in the UK and a prominent diversity campaigner, will host next week’s Women and Diversity in Law Awards.

Benjamin, who made her name as a presenter of BBC children’s programme Play School and went on to found her own successful production company alongside her acting career, will present the awards on Tuesday 21 March at the Marriott Grosvenor Square in London.

Some 400 finalists, awards’ judges and other representatives of the UK legal profession are set to attend the ceremony, which will recognise the achievements of exceptional women leaders and practitioners as well as the legal businesses, teams and individuals who are moving the needle across all the strands of diversity and inclusion.

Benjamin has a host of achievements to her name, many thanks to her campaigning for children’s rights and the promotion of diversity. Successful causes include campaigns for the establishment of a minister for children and for publishers to depict more diversity in children’s picture books.

She argues: “Diversity is an important issue for me and I believe we all need to have an informed understanding about the importance of it to be reflected in every aspect of our society, especially in our media which touch millions at any one given time. When diversity is embraced we become culturally richer.”

Benjamin was among six new appointments to the Order of Merit chosen by the late Queen in the days before she died. It is the most senior honour in the personal gift of the sovereign.

More than 150 individuals working across the UK legal profession in a wide array of capacities are in contention for awards, which are hosted by The Global Legal Post.

In all 130 legal businesses, in-house legal teams, suppliers to the sector and not-for-profit groups are represented on the shortlist. Showcase categories include Woman of the Year, Responsible Leader and Business of the Year, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programme of the Year. 

The evening will culminate in an achievement award, chosen by the judging panel, which includes Julia Chain, chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Dignity Trust; Herbert Smith Freehills CEO Justin D’Agostino, who founded his firm's first LGBT+ network in 2007; and Lesley Wan, general counsel and whistleblowing officer at FBN Bank and founder of the Through the Looking Glass charity.

Also on the roster is Norton Rose Fulbright's Europe, Middle East and Asia managing partner Peter Scott - a member of the City of London Corporation's socio-economic taskforce, which published its final report in December - and Sanjay Bhandari, chair of Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion charity. 

There is still time to book a place at the awards. Click here for details or email [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 3947 1358.

To mark International Women’s Day The Global Legal Post published extracts from interviews with a selection of the awards judges. Click here to read the article and here to read each of the interviews in full.