The government’s social mobility strategy cannot come quickly enough to boost diversity in the legal profession, according to Naveen Tuli, managing director of legal recruiter Laurence Simons.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Yesterday outlined a new ‘social mobility’ policy with the promise of jobs for clever state school children.

Tuli says: “The government’s measures to address social mobility cannot come soon enough – especially in the legal profession. Our research shows that 15% of legal professionals attended one of just 250 of the nation’s public schools. These students are now seven times overrepresented in the industry.

“The figures paint a disturbingly regressive picture of the opportunities open to those wishing to get into law. Unfortunately, social exclusivity is rife in the industry and this has hitherto been a real policy blindspot.

“The industry has made real progress in addressing the under-representation of women and ethnic minority groups and we’re at least on the way to tackling those issues. But the under-representation of those who can’t afford a silver-plated education is getting worse, not better.

“But this isn’t a case of wanton snobbery on behalf of legal employers – in many ways, Britain’s blue-chip legal employers are simply reacting to the decline of state education. The overwhelming conclusion must be that if your children aspire to a successful legal career and you are choosing them a school, it pays to pay.”