Leading law firms have been keen to speak out about the importance of diversity in recent months. Yet when it comes to improving diversity within their own workforces progress remains slow.

A recent survey of the U.K. top-tier legal industry found that only about 1% of lawyers at 39 of the largest firms are Black. Several firms refused to even provide numbers. Meanwhile several Black lawyers have recently painted woeful pictures of the realities they often face during their careers.