Blake Morgan appoints first EDI specialist
In her new role, Hand will be a key member of Blake Morgan’s EDI committee and HR leadership team.
Blake Morgan has appointed Victoria Hand as its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) specialist. In this newly created role, she will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of the firm’s EDI strategy.
Hand will also have responsibility for integrating EDI across Blake Morgan’s policies, as well as project managing the existing programmes.
These include the Mental Health First Aider Scheme, Inclusion and Respect Programme, Parental Leave Programme, New Parent Mentoring Scheme, and the firm’s PRIME and Pathways to Law initiatives.
She will also work with the firm’s HR leadership team and EDI committee to drive the firm’s EDI strategy for attracting, retaining and developing talent.
Meanwhile, Hand has “extensive” HR and development experience, having worked for legal firms for 20 years, supporting career development, personal resilience, and health and wellbeing.
She is also a qualified trainer with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, certified by Mental Health First Aid England as a mental health first aider and is accredited by the British Psychological Society in the use of psychometric tools.
Blake Morgan said one of its top priorities is to continue working to become a fully inclusive employer, and that the addition of a dedicated EDI specialist is “a key step in making sure that genuine improvements and progress are continuously being made”.
Kath Shimmin, Blake Morgan chair and head of EDI committee, said: “The creation of this new role, and the appointment of such a well-qualified expert as Victoria, clearly shows how seriously Blake Morgan takes diversity and inclusion within all parts of our business.
“The legal profession has work to do to become a truly diverse sector, but leaps and bounds are being made. At Blake Morgan improving equality, diversity and inclusion is top of the agenda.”
Hand added: “I am hugely honoured and excited to have been appointed to this dedicated EDI role. I am looking forward to working with, and supporting our Inclusion Champions so we can continue to make EDI approachable and actionable.”