Browne Jacobson has retained its Employer of the Year title at the 2026 upReach Student Social Mobility Awards, marking back-to-back wins for the UK and Ireland firm. 

The award reflects the firm's wide-ranging efforts to widen access into the legal profession, improve outcomes for talent from under-represented backgrounds and help other organisations take meaningful action of their own.

It adds to a strong run of recognition, with the firm topping the Social Mobility Foundation's Employer Index in four of the past five years and being the highest ranked law firm in the Index for five years running.

Tom Lyas, Head of Resourcing and Social Mobility at Browne Jacobson, said: “What makes this recognition so meaningful is that it is not built on one initiative or one moment in time, but the result of years of listening, learning and committing to taking action and doing things differently. 

“From the purposeful way we design our programmes to the inclusive way we recruit, we are constantly asking where else we can improve, which reflects our desire to be at the forefront of tackling society’s biggest issues. The aspiring professionals we work with deserve our very best efforts; and that’s what continues to motivate our team and our colleagues every single day.

“The data shows that when you remove barriers and provide people with a genuine opportunity, they thrive. We are always looking at how we can go further, help more people fulfil their potential, and make a lasting difference to the profession.”

Breaking down barriers to entry

Central to Browne Jacobson’s social mobility work is the firm's FAIRE initiative (Fairer Access into Real Experience), which has engaged more than 88,000 young people with virtual and in-person events and work experience programmes since launching in 2019. 

It has now expanded to offer paid in-person placements beyond legal teams to functions including technology, finance and people services. Of the 90 placements offered last year, 85% went to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Alongside this, the firm's free virtual insight day attracted more than 7,700 participants last year, with more than two-thirds of delegates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Speakers included the Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP and the President of The Law Society, Mark Evans, both offering advice and inspiration to the next generation of legal professionals.

Browne Jacobson’s future talent data shows what equitable recruitment can look like in practice:

• More than 40% of individuals joining through early careers routes are eligible for free school meals.
• 71% attended universities outside the Russell Group.
• Over two-fifths of all early careers roles are apprenticeships.
• Approximately 65% of trainee solicitor offers, and 80% of pupil barrister offers are extended to candidates who, in previous years, would have been unable to submit an application based on academic grade criteria.

A landmark programme for care experienced young people

Building on the success of FAIRE, Browne Jacobson has developed Next Chapter, a structured support programme for young people who have spent time in local authority care, who are less likely than their peers to pursue or complete higher education. 

Shaped in partnership with Nottingham City Council and with direct input from care experienced young people, the 2026 pilot scheme has combined six months of mentoring with paid work experience, skills development and financial assistance for four participants. 

Raising the bar across the profession

Beyond its own workforce, Browne Jacobson has invested in helping other organisations improve their social mobility efforts. 

Its Social Mobility Incubator series has brought together more than 270 professionals from 100-plus organisations for knowledge sharing sessions, with several of those organisations going on to revise their recruitment practices and improve their ranking in The Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Index.

The firm's training programme on accent bias, developed with the University of Nottingham, has now been rolled out internally and has been highlighted as a model of good practice in a United Nations report on workplace social mobility.

In 2025, Browne Jacobson leaders gave evidence on social mobility to both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Victoria Howard, Senior Social Mobility Inclusion Manager, added: "Winning this award for the second consecutive year is a reminder of how far we have come, but more importantly, it reminds us how much further we want to go.

"Programmes like Next Chapter show what becomes possible when businesses, local authorities and young people work together to break down the barriers that hold back talented people. We are immensely proud of our first cohort of mentees, who prove that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.

"The work of the Social Mobility Incubator, our engagement at the highest levels of government, and the dedication of social mobility champions across our organisation and supply chain give us real confidence that lasting change is within reach - and that is what makes the work so pressing, and so worthwhile."