In-house legal diversity scheme attracts big players

Yahoo, Vodafone and Lloyds are among a string of big businesses set to offer work experience in their legal departments under a social mobility scheme.
On board work experience scheme

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London-based newspaper Legal Week reports that the companies will team with global law firms to offer students involved in the scheme – known as PRIME --experience of in-house skill alongside the knowledge gained from working with the law firms.

Enhanced experience

According to the report, Internet giant Yahoo will partner with Bird & Bird, Lloyds with magic circle firm Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells with Vodafone and the Financial Times with Herbert Smith, although these relationships will not be exclusive.
A&O diversity manager Jane Masey told the newspaper: ‘Following the launch of PRIME last year, we were approached by a number of in-house legal teams expressing interest in how they could get involved. After much discussion, it became clear that in-house teams could really enhance the experience for participants by setting up a work experience partnership with a PRIME law firm.
‘The advantage of having in-house teams involved is that the insight and experience gained by the students is much broader. I'm sure many students won't have considered the possibility of a legal career at Yahoo! or Lloyds before, and, because of how high-profile many of these brands are, I'm sure that would be really attractive to them.’

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