In its pursuit of academic and professional excellence, The City Law School is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our colleagues and students regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender identity, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, pregnancy, race and ethnic origin, religion and belief, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or other protected characteristic.
From its early history and incarnation as the Inns of Court School of Law, The City Law School has educated professionals from diverse nations of the world including notable alumni such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sandy Okoro, HH Judge Barbara Mensah, Rehana Popal, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Nana Akuffo-Addo.
The School takes pride in the fact that a large proportion of our students are among the first in their families to receive a university education and that its student cohort comprises a diverse community reflecting its location in central London.
The City Law School recognises that there is still much to be done to enhance its work around EDI issues and race specifically. The School also recognises the historical and political context that has led to structural and institutional problems that require addressing and remedying.
To this end, the School is committed to being a change agent. At this stage of its development the School is aspirational in its objectives and recognises that it still has much work to do make sure that it embraces all aspects of inclusivity and diversity.
The activities of the School’s EDI Committee support the work of City, University of London’s broader EDI Strategy 2020-2026 published in 2020. For more on EDI @ City, including EDI policies and information on staff affinity networks, please visit this weblink.
Black British Research Scholar Scholarship
The City Law School offers a full-time, three-year doctoral scholarship to a Black British researcher. It is expected that this scholarship will be offered on an annual basis.
Athena Swan Charter and other Equality initiatives
The School is currently progressing its application to achieve an Athena Swan Charter mark used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE). This work is being directed by EDI Committee member, Professor Peter Hungerford-Welch.
At the University level City is a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Committed Employer. City has also applied to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index with regard to LGBTQIA+ staff.
Dr Sabrina Germain is the School's Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
City has been awarded the Race Equality Charter Bronze Award. City has also achieved the Athena Swan Bronze Award.
Composition of The City Law School Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
The School’s EDI Committee is chaired by Sabrina Germain (Associate Dean EDI & NRJ member) and comprises of EDI School Leads Mariem Ben Slimane (students experience), Phoebe Cleary (sexual orientation & inclusion), Jessica Corsi (disability & accessibility), Josephine Hannan (professional service staff), Taskin Iqbal (academic programme staff), Jazmine Pharr (intersectionality) , Simone Start (professional programme staff), Cassandra Weiner (gender equality); group representatives Vara Ratanakorn and Suzana Rahde Gerchmann (students), Gesmina Tsourrai (students’ union), Grietje Baars (TIGNC), Mazen Masri (staff unions), Marcus Soanes (FACE) and members Vanessa Bucknor-Scott (HR manager), Diana Sprot (secretary), John Stevenson (senior communications officer), Maria Kendrick, Paul McKeown, Sonali Shah and Sarwan Singh.
Students and staff are warmly welcomed to approach the Committee with their ideas related to EDI. Communications can be directed, in the first instance, to Diana Sprot.
Historic Sources of Funding Review Group Final Report
In June 2020, City announced a review of its historic sources of funding to determine if there were any links with the historic transatlantic slave trade and, if so, to make recommendations. See our Historic sources of funding review webpage.
Road to race equity
Our Road to Race Equity sets out our progress and work done so far to advance race equity for our community, what is ongoing and what race equity looks like when we achieve it. See the steps we are taking on our road to race equity.