This article is a direct translation of the original French article by Le Vif.
🔗 You can read the full article in French here: Avocat, un métier encore trop peu accessible aux minorités
By the Vif editorial team
Long dominated by a white male elite, the legal profession in Belgium is slowly moving towards greater diversity. While gender balance is gradually improving, the representation of ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic minorities remains limited across the legal field. Today, a growing number of public and private initiatives are working to promote diversity and tackle the structural inequalities still present within the profession.
For many years, the legal profession was seen as the preserve of older white men. That image is slowly changing. Since 2018, women have made up more than half of all lawyers registered with the French- and German-speaking bar associations in Belgium, according to the Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophone (OBFG). The latest available data, from 2022, shows that women now account for 50.4% of practising lawyers. But while gender equality is progressing, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity continues to lag behind. In recent years, however, a number of private and public efforts have been launched to address this imbalance.
One such initiative is JustLawyers, a platform launched just a few months ago that connects lawyers and law firms — with a key difference: all candidate profiles are anonymised. Recruiters only have access to the candidates' skills and qualifications, with no information related to their identity. “Whether consciously or not, there are biases that hold back diversity in law firms,” explains Isabel Rosendor, co-founder of JustLawyers. “Anonymising profiles helps overcome that initial hurdle. Once that’s out of the way, prejudices start to lose their influence.”
For many young lawyers from minority backgrounds, diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s become a deciding factor. “Quite a few have told me they won’t even apply to a firm if they don’t see someone who looks like them on the website,” she adds. Beyond visibility, diversity can also be a strength: “There’s growing evidence that more inclusive firms perform better financially and foster a healthier internal dynamic.”
Minorities in the legal profession: inclusion takes root in institutions
Diversity is no longer being addressed only through independent initiatives — it’s now also becoming a priority within official legal institutions. Some bar associations are starting to focus on inclusion, aiming to make the legal profession more representative of the society it serves.
The Brussels bar, for example, set up a Diversity and Inclusion Commission in June 2022. Its mission is to raise awareness among lawyers of the value of diversity, and to encourage firms to promote a more inclusive workplace culture. The Commission is working to reduce gender disparities, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, and increase fair representation within law firms.
Social background: the first obstacle to entering the legal profession
The challenges, however, start long before someone enters the profession. Many students from disadvantaged backgrounds never even begin a law degree, often due to financial limitations or a lack of access to the right information. “Just the fact that parents are abroad — or originally from abroad — already makes a big difference,” explains Sophie Huart, president of the Diversity and Inclusion Commission of the Brussels bar. “These children often have to take on responsibilities very early. Some work part-time during secondary school and continue working through university. That creates a very unequal starting point.”
To help address these inequalities, the French-speaking bar association in Brussels has launched a programme called Propulse. Each year, three students are selected by a jury of legal professionals. This program offers them tangible support: funding for university fees, materials tailored to their specific needs, and guidance throughout their journey, thanks to a mentoring system provided by a supervising lawyer.
The aim is to introduce final-year secondary school students to the legal world and support those who want to study law but might not consider university due to cultural or financial barriers. “When parents haven’t been to university themselves, some young people hold back before they’ve even begun — simply because they don’t see anyone they can relate to,” says Sophie Huart.
Lack of diversity also evident in academia
This lack of representation is just as visible in academic settings. “It’s a real issue,” says barrister Vicky Sheikh. “When I look at university professors, none of them look like me. It gives you the feeling that this path just isn’t meant for people like us.”
Lawyers and minorities: real progress, but challenges remain
Significant steps have been taken to improve minority representation at the bar, with innovative initiatives and growing support from institutions. “Nearly all lawyers and firms today say they’re in favour of greater diversity,” says Vicky Sheikh. “And even if there’s only one minority lawyer on a firm’s website, don’t let that stop you — you might be the next.”