A solicitor from Ward Hadaway’s Manchester office has been nominated for a national Diversity Legal Award.
Fameeda Shafiq, a solicitor in the Licensing & Regulatory team at Ward Hadaway based in the firm’s Manchester office will go up against competition from across the country after being shortlisted in the Rising Star category of the UK Diversity Legal Awards.
The awards aim to recognise, promote and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion across the legal profession. The ceremony will be held at Grange St Paul’s Hotel in London on Wednesday, November 21st.
Fameeda has worked on initiatives with the British Pakistan Foundation (BPF) and Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce (GMCC).
The BPF was set up in 2010 to ‘unite, engage and empower’ the British Pakistani community in the UK. Part of this vision for businesses and professionals includes the Legal Forum which has been set up as a platform for nurturing, inspiring and networking for those who wish to become lawyers and judges in England & Wales.
It aims to deal with concerns regarding the entry/recruitment, progression and representation of British Pakistanis within the legal profession. BPF intend to deliver this by way of professional workshops, seminars, mentoring and internships, networking events, thought leadership and newsletters.
As a member of the steering committee, Fameeda has assisted with the development of this initiative within the North West region.
She is also on the steering group for the GMCC’s Asian Business Development Network, to help promote businesses and professionals from the North West region.
This network was created to engage with the Asian business community and professionals. It provides a platform for connecting with its members – not just for Asian professionals but all businesses that may be interested in opportunities to connect and develop.
Both the BPF and GMCC have shared objectives in trying to ensure better representation and progression for Asian businesses and professionals. Fameeda will continue to represent the organisations and help them achieve these objectives.
Fameeda, said: “I am pleased and honoured to be nominated for this award because diversity and inclusion is really important to me. While it is exciting to receive recognition, it’s also a good time to remind people that there is still much work to be done on diversity and inclusion in the legal sector to ensure it is sustainable.”
Martin Hulls, Managing Partner of Ward Hadaway, added: “We are extremely pleased that Fameeda has been recognised for her ongoing efforts to nurture a multicultural and inclusive legal profession. It supports our vision of making Ward Hadaway a great place to work for all.”