Russell-Cooke was shortlisted for an award in the Mental Health & Wellbeing category at the UK Diversity Legal Awards.

The UK Diversity Legal Awards are the only industry awards focused solely on recognising, promoting and celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession. Firms provide information to the judging panel in the form of an evidence-based submission.

The firm has been shortlisted as a result of its work on firmwide wellbeing initiatives such as a series of events to boost staff morale called RC Re-Charge; dedicated internal support groups and the Lockdown Diaries, a weekly internal enewsletter circulated during the pandemic. Also prominent was evidence of the firm's overarching positive approach to mental health.

Wellbeing partner Samantha Little commented:

"During the incredibly tough early months of the first lockdown it was action stations for us to make sure we built in some infrastructure around wellbeing. We have had a lot of feedback from our people to say how important it was to them to know that we were providing this support."

"The law is a challenging profession at the best of times and the pandemic has at least brought some positives in terms of shining a light on the importance of caring for staff mental health and general wellbeing. We are so pleased to receive recognition for the work we have done on this at Russell-Cooke – we would also like to celebrate the many small acts of kindness by members of the firm that go largely unrecognised but that help to build our caring supportive culture."

This year's winners will be announced at the award ceremony on 30 November at the Law Society. The event will include a gala dinner attended by some of the most senior figures in the industry and activists in diversity and wellbeing in the legal sector.