A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Travers Smith's Senior Partner Kathleen Russ, has led a number of initiatives aimed at improving gender equality and D&I both within the firm and wider business community:

- Instrumental in development of the firm's "BAME Allyship" Programme. Launched in 2019, the Programme challenges some of the systemic barriers facing BAME people in reaching their full potential and encompasses an innovative booklet (attached) outlining how people can be better allies for members of BAME community.

- supported and led the following activities aimed at tackling racial inequality:

oSigning up to Rare Recruitment's Race Fairness Commitment

oSigning up to the Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance (LFAA) to promote racial equity in the law.

oScaling up our ongoing with our diversity, CSR and pro bono partners - including Your Start-up, Your Story, and more - to help dismantle structural racism and to better support our BAME, particularly black, communities.

oCorporate partner for the human rights charity JUSTICE on the production of Tackling Racial Injustice: Children and the Youth Justice System, a report on racial disparities of children in the youth justice system.

- sponsors programme of role modelling initiatives (attached) aimed at enabling people from minority and under-represented groups to create a more inclusive workplace culture.

- signed the firm up to the Reignite Academy, that aims to put female lawyers who have taken a career break back on the City partnership track.

- chairs the firm's D&I Board and is an ally member of the BAME and LGBTQ+ Groups.