The Reignite Academy provides opportunities for experienced lawyers to return to the profession after a career hiatus.

Membership for Law Firms Membership for Candidates

Who are we after?

The academy sources lawyers who are ready to return and matches them with opportunities at member firms, either through individual supported placements or through inclusion on a six month Reignite Programme.

Types of Placements

Individual placements can be into permanent or contract roles depending on the circumstances. On the Reignite Programme, candidates join as a cohort and are provided with a six month period of paid training and work experience.

Support from Reignite

In all cases, candidates are provided with coaching and support from the Reignite team. Member firms, in the meantime. have the opportunity to plug their talent gaps with well qualified professionals who are ambitious to reignite their city careers.

“Women’s career paths rarely travel in straight lines, which is why we often see women disappearing from the ranks of middle management across many professions.   Law is no different. Formal returnship programmes are springing up in several sectors to enable women to reignite their careers after taking a career break or following a period in a less demanding role.   The Reignite Academy focuses on the legal sector.”

Lisa UnwinShe’s Back

“The rate at which talented women drop out of law is one of the biggest challenges we face as a profession.  The Reignite Academy is taking a practical and incredibly thoughtful approach to address this problem directly – by giving women the full support they need to return to work successfully and giving law firms a path to recruit from and integrate this incredible senior talent pool.”  

Nell ScottOrrick
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The Founders

The Reignite Academy is being spearheaded by a team which brings the full breadth of skills and experience that a project of this nature demands: knowledge of the legal sector; experience of how to surface, screen and interview a unique and untapped talent pool; and a depth of understanding of the needs of people who reached a senior level prior to taking a break and who are now ready to reclaim their careers.  

The Academy is a collaboration between:

Reignite-Academy-Founders-Inclusivity

Inclusivity is an organisation which helps employers deliver high quality returner and recruitment programmes to re-engage people ready to re-ignite their careers.

Visit Inclusivity >

Reignite-Academy-Founders-Shes-Back

She’s Back the campaigning and consulting organisation which highlights the potential in women who have taken a break and are ready to return

Visit She’s Back >

Reignite-Academy-Founders-The-XX-Advantage

XX Advantage Ltd, a diversity consulting business set up to advance gender diversity in the legal profession.

Visit XX Advantage Ltd >

The six founding member law firms are:

Reignite-Founding-Member-Law-Firms-Reed-Smith
Reignite-Founding-Member-Law-Firms-CMS
Reignite-Founding-Member-Law-Firms-White-and-Casea
Reignite-Founding-Member-Law-Firms-Macfarlane
Reignite-Founding-Member-Law-Firms-Orrick
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