Travers Smith first partnered with JUSTICE in 2019, acting as Corporate Partner for JUSTICE’s expert panel investigation into the overrepresentation of young people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the youth criminal justice system. This project culminated in an extensive report featuring 45 recommendations aimed at making the system fairer and addressing existing racial bias.
Our commitment to these reforms has been unwavering. In Autumn 2022, we deepened our collaboration with JUSTICE by focusing on a key recommendation: to better understand the experiences of Black, Brown, and racialised girls and young women in the criminal justice system.
This wide-ranging research and pro bono initiative sought to identify gaps in existing laws, procedures, guidance, and statistics affecting these groups. Our goal was to develop practical recommendations for reducing discrimination and improving support. Topics covered included domestic abuse, modern slavery, arrests, custody and remand, safeguarding, and diversion programmes.
Over 70 lawyers, trainees, and paralegals from 13 departments across Travers Smith contributed more than 3,500 hours to this project, our largest pro bono effort to date. Together, we produced five comprehensive reports (totalling 712 pages) that shed light on the systemic challenges faced by minoritised girls and young women in the criminal justice system.
We are proud that this work was recognised at the Legal 500 ESG Awards 2025, where Travers Smith was awarded the ‘UK Pro Bono Initiative’ for our racial justice work with JUSTICE. This work was also shortlisted for the prestigious FT Innovative Lawyers in Responsible Business Award.
Cross-departmental teams at Travers Smith are currently conducting research and analysis to bolster JUSTICE's recommendations to the Home Office aimed at increasing safeguards around strip searching children.
