ESG & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The world never stops turning.

Society is moving forward and we strive to move forward with it. Our approach to Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) focuses on six key areas that are integral to our culture: Pro Bono, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Community, Wellness & Social, Climate Action and Governance. Each area is championed by two partners and a committee of employees and trainees are encouraged to get involved in all aspects.

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PRO BONO

Giving legal advice where it matters most.


Our London Pro Bono Committee is dedicated to supporting the vulnerable. All our lawyers are expected to perform 50 hours of pro bono work per year, and we work with a number of law centres, leading charities, NGO’s and social enterprises, with a focus on access to justice and social finance. All pro bono hours are accredited as billable for the purposes of bonus, compensation and performance reviews. One of our proudest achievements was working with Refuge to table a number of amendments in the UK Government’s Domestic Abuse Act which was enshrined in law in 2021.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Inclusion is in our DNA.


Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are more than just words. They embody a commitment that has been at our core since the firm was founded. We strive to honour this commitment and create a culture where our differences are respected, celebrated and valued. By continuously educating ourselves, listening to each other, leading by example, speaking out and being allies and upstanders, as well as holding each other accountable, we aim to cultivate a workplace of equitable opportunity. A workplace in which every member of the Weil family feels free to bring their full self to work and stand up for the principles of diversity, inclusion and belonging, without fear of recrimination or retribution of any kind.

Employee networks 

To empower and bring together our employees, we have a number of networking groups and formal initiatives: Women*@Weil, SocialMobility@Weil, WeilPride, AsianAttorneys@Weil and The Black Attorney Affinity Group. We actively promote equality within the workplace, and our employee networks help us to create and nurture a better understanding of the unique issues facing communities. Our celebrated culture of respect and support is an integral contributor to the success of our firm and its people.

Organisations we partner with

As part of our work to strengthen the diversity of our trainees in our London office, we have partnered, and built successful relationships, with a number of organisations that help connect us with talented candidates from diverse backgrounds.

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COMMUNITY & CLIMATE ACTION

We need the world, but the world needs us, too.


Our community  strategy connects partners and employees with the outside world via a range of volunteering and fundraising activities. Our work is split into several pillars:

Community@Weil – we encourage our employees to volunteer for two days a year across a range of activities, including Charity Trustee & School Governor roles, supporting social entrepreneurs with commercial and business advice, and lending a hand to grass-roots community organisations such as food banks and homeless shelters.

Widening Entry into Law (WEIL) – provides support to around 400 state school students each year with the relevant experience to prepare them for whatever career they pursue.

Improving Lives & Raising Aspirations – launched in 2018, this is our five-year fundraising strategy which aims to raise £500,000 for a group of small charities working to eradicate homelessness, reduce poverty and boost social mobility.

Climate Action – the London office is working towards setting science-based net-zero targets. The office is ISO50001 accredited which is the highest global standard of environmental performance. We have achieved consistent top-level success at the City of London Clean City Awards for a number of years. We are members of the Legal Sustainability Alliance (LSA) and Sustainable Recruitment Alliance and we have three partners who lead the Climate Action Group within the office. We have eliminated single-use plastic, implemented LED lights and all our flowerbeds are tended to by Urban Bees, a social enterprise which encourages bee-friendly environments in the City. We even have a bee hotel on our roof terrace to encourage pollination.

WELLBEING & SOCIAL

Your physical and mental wellbeing is important.


We strive to make sure every single one of our employees has access to the mental health discussion groups, speakers and events we host. Creating a safe environment for people to express themselves is important, and it is at these groups where they can. We provide free access to psychotherapy sessions and a mindfulness app called Unmind.

To help you look after yourself physically we have an on-site gym with a studio for yoga, pilates and spin classes. We also have a treatment room for massages and physio appointments. There is also a fresh fruit delivery every morning.

There is a vibrant social calendar with office-wide summer and festive parties each year, regular drinks on our office roof terrace and our annual legendary karaoke (fancy dress) quiz. We have football and netball teams and an office band ‘The Weil’d Things’ which plays at charity gigs and office parties.

MENTORING

Investing in our people.
It goes without saying.


We offer valuable support and guidance to everyone at Weil, whether you are an associate, or a fast track scheme participant. For trainees, we have a mentoring programme that makes sure you get all the advice and support you need from a partner mentor. 1-2-1 coaching is available for all employees to support them throughout the transitions of their career. Everyone has the chance to self-select another mentor – someone they like and trust, to speak to about their home and work life.

Meet our Trainee Associates