GROW Mentoring
1739. Justin Farrance
Justin Farrance, from London, is a trainee solicitor who founded GROW, a mentoring initiative that has supported 2,000 students and aspiring lawyers and barristers from underrepresented communities across the UK, and is working to address intersectionality in the legal profession.
Justin launched GROW in April 2020 after posting a message on his LinkedIn profile asking if there were any students in his network who needed help with the law firm training contract application process. After receiving hundreds of emails in response, he realised the need for creating a more substantial programme that could provide one-to-one mentoring and help to reduce barriers to the legal profession, especially for those from underrepresented or minority backgrounds. GROW’s mentors represent more than 220 global law firms, 70 in-house legal teams and 20 barristers chambers, highlighting the diversity of lawyers championing the charity. In November 2020, Justin further launched an inaugural virtual Law Summit, which attracted over 750 attendees and panellists from six continents.
In response to receiving the award, Justin said:
“I am inspired everyday to work with an incredible team at GROW Mentoring who push boundaries to support thousands of diverse and talented future lawyers globally. We’re an example that you’re never too young or junior to pursue an idea to make a positive difference for others. It is an honour to be the recipient of this prestigious award by the Prime Minister, and one that I will share with our community.”
Photo Credit: Nathan Clarke Photography