Caroline Green, Executive DEI Sponsor and former Senior Partner at Browne Jacobson, has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

She was honoured at the Legal 500 UK ESG Awards last night (30 April) for her work in leading the UK and Ireland law firm’s social mobility strategy.

Among the initiatives she has helped to drive have been the FAIRE (Fairer Access Into Real Experience), the largest virtual work experience programme in the UK for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Caroline said: “I am genuinely moved to receive this recognition. But any achievement like this belongs to many people beyond just the individual.

“Everything we have built has been a collective effort - from the colleagues who have shown up for every difficult conversation, to the young people who trusted us to open doors for them. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and I remain as committed as ever to continuing this journey.”

Caroline joined Browne Jacobson in 1984, becoming the firm's first female Partner in 1989 and its first female Senior Partner in 2018, having placed inclusion at the heart of the firm's strategy. She handed over the reins to Jonathan Tardif earlier this year.

During her tenure, Caroline oversaw a period of sustained growth, with the firm's turnover rising to a record £137m in 2024/25. She chaired the firm's board and led an internal DEI steering committee, driving a culture of change that has seen Browne Jacobson top the Social Mobility Foundation Employer Index four times in the past five years.

More than 90,000 aspiring professionals have attended FAIRE’s virtual events since its launch in 2019, while the firm’s in-person FAIRE work experience programme supports 100 young people annually, with 85% from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Caroline advocated for the introduction of mandatory DEI training across the firm, drove transparency in recruitment and led “courageous conversation” staff forums across the business.

She has also championed the REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) mentoring programme to support aspiring Black lawyers into the profession.

Alongside her leadership role, Caroline has maintained a client-facing practice in complex commercial contracts and strategic real estate, with particular expertise in the retail and supply chain sectors. Her work has included advising Loomis Cash Management on the takeover of cash handling operations from Barclays and HSBC in the UK, and advising leading luxury brands on the redevelopment of flagship Maisons on Bond Street.

Richard Medd, Managing Partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “I have had the privilege of working closely alongside Caroline for a number of years, and have been given a first-hand experience of her courageous leadership.

“She has displayed an absolute refusal to accept that the legal profession couldn't be more inclusive than it was when she started her career.

“Caroline is hugely deserving of this award and we’re incredibly thankful to her for everything she continues to do for this firm, our people and our profession.”