Equality and Diversity Survey 2023

INTRODUCTION

Bates Ltd, as a provider of legal services and an employer of staff, is committed to protecting the rights of individuals and to advancing equality of opportunity for all its employees. It currently employs 47* staff at its offices in London. Weybridge, Leigh on Sea, Fleet, Odiham, Hook, Hartley Wintney and Basingstoke.

In June 2023 it surveyed its staff to assist in the collection of equality and diversity data on a national level  as required by the Solicitors` Regulation Authority.

Due to the relatively small number of Partners and employees in the firm (*47 at the time of the survey), the small number of respondents (34) and the even smaller sub-divisions of staff by category, we have elected not to publish information on disability, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment, although we have gathered this information and entered it on the SRA’s portal.

The survey was undertaken in June 2023 on an anonymous basis. Responders were not compelled to respond but those who did say were free to respond as to they wished and had the option to enter “prefer not to say” when answering questions in any category.

34 members of its staff volunteered to participate in this Survey. 13 members of staff chose not to participate. Bates Ltd are publishing a summary of its findings from this survey. The information set out below represent the make- up of the firm as at 1st July 2023.

SUMMARY OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY as at 1 JULY 2023

Employment and Ownership

9% Salaried or partial equity solicitor partners
20% Solicitor (not partner)
6% Other fee earning role
50% Role directly supporting a fee earner
9% IT/HR/other corporate services role
6% Prefer not to say

Age Distribution

Age
6% 16-24
6% 25-34
15% 35-44
17% 45-54
38% 55-64
12% 65+
6% prefer not to say

Gender  

88% female (30 out of 34)
9% male (3 out of 34)
3% prefer not to say (1 out of 34)

Ethnicity 

3% Any other Asian background
94% British/English/Welch/Northern Irish etc
3% Prefer not to say

Religious Belief

35% No religion or belief
3% Buddhist
47% Christian
3% Hindu
6% Any other
6% prefer not to say

What type of school did you mainly attend between the ages between the ages 11 and 16?

20% state-run (selective)
56% state-run (non-selective)
12% independent fee paying
3% independent fee paying (bursary)
3% outside UK
3% not sure
3% prefer not to say

What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were about 14

38% modern professional and traditional, eg teacher, nurse, accountant, solicitor
15% Senior, middle or junior managers or administrators
0% Clerical and intermediate positions such as secretary
15% Technical and craft occupations
17.00% Routine, semi-routine, manual such as postal worker, machine operative
6% Small business owner
3% Long term unemployed
3% Retired/does not apply to me/I don’t know etc.
3% prefer not to say

Caring Responsibilities:

23% primary carer for under 18 years
15% spending a significant time caring for someone with long term physical/mental health

Notes

*As at the time of the survey.

(1) Data current as at 1st July 2023

(2) Data has been rounded to the nearest per cent and only includes information that has been provided directly by individuals who participated in the survey. Data has been excluded which may provide personally identifiable information and in accordance with data protection requirements.

(3) The term “workforce” includes all those  who provided information for the question involved.