Shazadi Stinton

Severn Trent

Severn Trent head of legal Shazadi Stinton calls herself a reluctant role model. After a chapter in private practice, she spent more than 13 years at the Coventry-based water business, ascending the in-house ranks. The challenges faced in the industry by young members of her team who, like her, came from ethnic minority backgrounds prompted Stinton to act. Four years ago, she kicked off an apprenticeship scheme that allowed her to foster the careers of two diverse, aspiring solicitors without them incurring the high fees of the Legal Practice Course.

Two years ago she stepped up her efforts, launching Just Start. She wanted to increase the number of candidates from ethnic minorities and lower socio-economic backgrounds in the legal profession with a set of educational and work opportunities. She wanted to deliver stories of people who look different from traditional lawyers to schools and give students opportunities such as work experience in her team, along with vacation schemes and trainee seats at her panel firms.

Stinton also persuaded her panels to take part in the initiatives by tapping resources in their emerging talent, HR and marketing teams. Firms on her roster started to provide bursaries to law students, give work experience placements and mentor disadvantaged students.

In April, Stinton will take on a new role as general counsel at fintech Moneysupermarket, where she plans to continue her diversity initiatives.