Redefining Who Belongs in the Legal Profession: An Interview with Jo Farmer
At NuCAS, we believe that social mobility sits at the heart of the change we want to help drive across the legal industry, and our new interview series aims to spotlight the people who are pushing that change forward. In this second instalment, we speak with Jo Farmer, Joint Managing Partner at Lewis Silkin.
Jo speaks candidly about how her upbringing has shaped her perspective on social mobility, the ways in which she continues to champion it in her role as Joint Managing Partner, her hopes for the future of the legal profession, and, perhaps most importantly, which American legal drama first inspired her to pursue a career in law. Born into a single‑parent household, Jo spent her early years living with her grandparents before moving into a council house in Darlington. She was state educated and became the first in her family to attend university.
Why do you believe social mobility is critical for the future of law firms and legal services?
I start from the principle that it is simply right and fair. We know the talent exists, but what’s missing is equal access to opportunity. From a business perspective, the benefits of diversity of thought in boardrooms, working groups and teams are well established, and we know that diversity of experience facilitates better quality decision making. However, for the modern law firm, social mobility is imperative not just for better decisions or broader perspectives. Today, a successful law firm must reflect wider society and the clients they serve, and we can only achieve that if our people come from a wide range of backgrounds, regions and walks of life.
What barriers still exist for individuals from less privileged backgrounds entering the legal industry?
Whilst lots of progress has been made, one of the key barriers that remains, in my view, is the cost of attending university. Many people may want to go to university and have the grades to do so but ultimately decide against it due to financial concerns. The introduction of the solicitor apprenticeship route has been a fantastic development for the profession, but I hope to see a future where no student feels forced to forgo university solely because of the cost.
Another barrier is the training contract application cycle. Students today are acutely aware of how competitive it is to secure a training contract. Success often requires confidence, resilience and the ability to persevere through several annual recruitment cycles. But if money is tight, I often wonder how long an applicant can reasonably keep going before feeling compelled to pursue another career path. Over time, this risks eroding the progress we’ve made on social mobility, as the only applicants who will be able to afford to stay in the process are those who have financial support, often from their family.
How do you hope to see law firms and service providers change over the next five years in this space?
When looking at the social mobility index, it is generally a positive story for law firms, and it is certainly true that the industry has already done a lot in this area. At Lewis Silkin, we have chosen to go beyond our statutory requirements by publishing a social mobility pay gap report, with the aim of facilitating meaningful conversations and helping to drive change.
I hope over the next five years, we can build on the work we’ve started and deepen our collaboration with other firms. We do not want the progress we have made at Lewis Silkin to be a competitive advantage, rather, we want to see genuine industry-wide collaboration focussed not just on advocacy, but on outcomes and delivering real, measurable progress.
Throughout my career, I was fortunate to meet the right people at the right times, individuals who provided invaluable mentorship, guidance, and advice. But now we should be focused on building thoughtful, systemic programmes and initiatives that do not depend on chance encounters.
How have your own experiences shaped your views on social mobility?
I should start by saying that I don’t have any horror stories of being treated differently because of my background (at least none that I am aware of!), but it was always subconsciously ingrained in me to fit in. When I moved to University, I quickly lost my northern accent because I saw it as something that made me different. Now, I feel strongly about ensuring others do not have to experience that feeling. Since becoming Joint Managing Partner, I’ve chosen to speak more openly about my background and my career journey, in the hope that it helps others see that there isn’t just one way a partner should look or sound.
Reflecting on that decision now, I realise that beginning to talk openly about my journey, even at this stage in my career, still took real courage. It required a deliberate shift to speak so transparently about where I come from. With the fantastic support of our Communications Director, I began sharing my experiences and perspectives on social mobility, and I haven’t looked back since. It’s part of who I am, and I’m immensely proud of that.
What advice would you give to businesses like NuCAS that want to embed social mobility into their DNA?
Data is key. To move beyond advocacy and towards meaningful outcomes, businesses first need to understand what is happening within their own organisation. That means collecting the right data, and educating your people on why you’re collecting it and why it matters. With that insight, you can shape your actions and policies to drive real change internally, and use your learnings to influence the wider industry.
On a practical level, I believe that storytelling is an incredibly powerful way to provide role models and help future generations see that there is diversity within the profession – and that there is a place for them.
What is the best piece of advice you can share with someone considering a career in law but are concerned they wouldn’t fit in.
I’ll start by saying that you don’t need to fit in. It is completely normal to feel like an outsider, I certainly did. It’s okay to feel different from the person sitting next to you; organisations should value and welcome a diversity of experiences. And if they don’t, if you don’t feel welcome, then you don’t have to stay. There will be other places that are actively looking for people like you and will truly value everything you bring.
The other advice I would give is that coming from a less privileged background might actually be your superpower. You’ve already overcome so many hurdles to get to where you are, and the skills you’ve built along the way: resilience, resourcefulness, tenacity, even stubbornness, will give you an incredible ability to solve all sorts of problems throughout your career and excel in whatever role you choose.
We want to thank Jo for her time and insights, our conversation was a powerful reminder that meaningful progress in social mobility requires transparency, intention and collective responsibility. At NuCAS, we are committed to playing our part by creating pathways that widen access to an interesting and diverse range of careers in law, and by building a business where people can thrive because of their unique experiences, not despite them. We’re grateful to Jo for sharing her story, and we look forward to continuing these conversations with leaders across the profession as we work together to drive real, measurable change.
And for anyone wondering which American legal drama first inspired Jo to consider a career in law, it was LA Law. Thankfully, the legal profession has evolved, although perhaps we should all consider a return of the iconic shoulder pads…