On a special and unprecedented occasion in the legal sector, several of the most important law firms in the UK (Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Slaughter and May, Herbert Smith Freehills, among others) have joined together to create the Legal Core platform to support racial diversity.

This initiative seeks to focus on diversity advocacy, creating guiding principles to be applied in these firms regarding the representation of black and minority ethnic professionals.

At a time when the vast majority of law firms are conscious of supporting diversity and inclusion, Legal Core reflects a perfect match between rival firms, putting aside competitiveness and focusing on this important issue.

Legal Core's co-chairs include Farmida Bi, head of EMEA at Norton Rose Fulbright, Paul Stacey, executive partner at Slaughter and May, Gareth Price, managing partner at Allen & Overy, and Paul Lewis, managing partner at Linklaters.

Legal Core's challenge is clear: 

"Legal CORE is open to all law firms with offices in the UK who want to support our mission to increase substantively the representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in private practice," it attests on its website.

It is hoped that this initiative will schedule multiple events and gather the interest of more law firms on an issue that is key in the legal sector today.