THE UK's first Black and Ethnic Minority Careers Fair aimed at increasing recruitment into the legal profession will take place on Wednesday 23rd October 2002.

The Careers Fair will be attended by representatives from the UK's top 100 law firms.

Ethnic Minorities represent 21.9 percent of the total law student population, yet that does not translate into a similar percentage getting jobs in practise. Figures show that only 16.8 percent of ethnic minority law graduates managed to secure training programmes. Once training has been completed only 7.9 percent make the transition into becoming solicitors on the roll, with only 6.6 percent managing to gain practising certificates on the roll.

Yolande Beckles, Managing Director of Global Graduates, which is organising the event said, "In spite of the significant numbers of talented Black and ethnic minority students studying law, there is still a great disparity between those that study law and those that go on to successfully gain practise.

"After years of pushing the case for diversity within the legal profession, it is clear that to a large degree this has fallen on deaf ears. The legal profession has to stop paying lip service to the calls for diversity and more beyond the rhetoric to a reality which shows that it is actively opening its doors.'

The recruitment Fair will be open to all Black and ethnic minority students and recent graduates seeking to establish a career in Law.

For further informatio you call 0207 2911375 or you can log on to www.globalgraduates.com