Reducing inequality in our society starts with breaking down barriers and strengthening communities
2025 highlights
In numbers
6 students
completed three-week work placements, two Career LEAP placements and one internship delivered
850+ student experiences
delivered through our in-house and community outreach education and employment programmes
172 colleagues
supported students through Access mentoring, work shadowing, workshops and career advice
Making change through fundraising
Over €38,000 raised
by our people across Dublin and Belfast for charitable organisations
€4,000 donated
through our Matched Funding Scheme
130 volunteers
engaged in fundraising initiatives
Impact through partnership
New charity partnership
launched with Northern Ireland Hospice
Launched a solicitor apprenticeship programme
with Ulster University
Won best social mobility programme
at The Lawyer European Awards
Social mobility How we're progressing
ALG is committed to widening access to education, employment and career progression for people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
In 2025 we strengthened links between our education and employment programmes, creating clearer pathways that support progression from secondary school through higher education and into the workplace.
We also deepened our community partnerships and placed greater emphasis on measuring impact, learning from outcomes and continuously improving the effectiveness of our programmes.
Hear more on this in the short video from Suzie O'Shea, our Social Impact Manager.
Secondary school initiatives
In secondary schools we offer mentoring, work placements, career talks, workshops and legal education skills. These include P-TECH, JumpAgrade and Junior Achievement Ireland. It also includes our in-house work experience initiatives Step In Experience and Legal Fridays and law and human rights sessions in the Journey to Justice series with Speakers for Schools.
These programmes invite young people to experience a professional legal environment at our firm, access opportunities to work shadow and gain insight into legal and business services careers.
New secondary school workshops
In 2025 we piloted and introduced two new workshops for secondary schools to help more young people build skills and confidence for the future.
Negotiation skills
Practical training designed to strengthen communication, advocacy, confidence and problem-solving skills.
Being at work 101
An interactive workshop introducing students to the world of work and highlighting pathways into business and legal careers.
30+ volunteers reached 187 students in four schools
P-TECH work placement
Six students joined us for three weeks in 2025 engaging with our people, gathering insights and developing recommendations to increase participation in future Calcutta Run campaigns.
P-TECH is an accredited Level 6 (college level) certificate, with the placement worth 25% of a student’s overall marks.
We value giving students meaningful work experience rather than token projects. The students who worked with us reported increased confidence, a sense of safety and belonging in the firm and stronger digital and business skills.
“My time in ALG was great. We got to work in a real office and they let us work on a project on the Calcutta Run. At the end of the project we presented it to the ALG employees. We also got to take part in the Calcutta Run which was brilliant. One of the skills I have learned while being in the office was how to work with people and listen to their insight to make our project better.”
Liam Freeman
P-TECH student
Third level education programmes and partnerships
We design our graduate recruitment programmes to attract, develop and retain diverse early talent through inclusive and innovative pathways.
Through our third level programmes we give hands-on exposure to legal practice and professional development with built-in social mobility targets.
- Trainee Programme
- Summer Intern Programme (SIP)
- Law Start
- Legal Summer Institute (with Google EMEA)
- Degree Apprenticeship (with Ulster University)
Removing barriers, creating opportunities
In 2025 we took further steps to widen access to careers in law and support greater socio-economic diversity within our talent pipeline.
We introduced accommodation support for summer internship applicants, helping to reduce financial and geographic barriers to participation, and removed grade-based screening at the application stage to create a more inclusive recruitment process.
As part of our commitment to social mobility, we pledged that five of our 30 summer internship places would be allocated to candidates from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds. We surpassed this commitment with seven participants joining the programme, alongside three traineeship opportunities offered to candidates from similar backgrounds.
New apprenticeship programme with Ulster University
To offer an alternative route into the legal profession, we launched a four-year Degree Apprenticeship Programme with Ulster University in 2025. This combines paid, part‑time work at ALG with a fully funded LLB law degree.
Apprentices earn while they learn on the programme gaining legal experience, training and mentorship alongside their academic study. By reducing financial barriers, the programme widens access to careers in law and strengthens diversity in the profession.
Hear more on this programme in the short video from Katherine Irvine, Trainee Solicitor, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP.
Employment programmes
Our employment programmes create meaningful pathways into the workforce for young people from diverse backgrounds.
We support Career L.E.A.P., a work-readiness programme that helps young people aged 18–24 from diverse socio-economic backgrounds prepare for the world of work. Through our long-standing partnership with this programme we support access to meaningful employment opportunities through work experience, training and, where possible, permanent roles within ALG.
In recent years we have facilitated multiple work placements and offered two permanent positions through the programme, while 20 of our people have undertaken mentor training. In 2025 we also hosted 15 Career L.E.A.P. participants at our Dublin office, helping to build awareness of careers in law and the opportunities available within the profession.
We also supported Business in the Community Ireland’s (BITCI) summer placement programme and provided a summer internship with our Finance team.
How storytelling drives social mobility
In November, the Social Mobility Committee hosted Breaking barriers: in conversation with Dr Katriona O’Sullivan, bringing 150+ colleagues together for a powerful and deeply personal conversation on poverty, education and opportunity.
Dr O’Sullivan shared how she became an academic and advocate having grown up in poverty and homelessness. Her story challenges assumptions and places access, role models and belief at the centre of social mobility.
The event led to more members joining the committee and more of our people volunteering on our social mobility initiatives.
Employee fundraising and volunteering
Our firm and our people run innovative, high-impact fundraising initiatives that create lasting social and economic benefits for communities.
By aligning our business strengths with meaningful causes and driven by the hard work of our fundraising committees, we inspire our people to contribute to a better future.
Calcutta Run
Flagship fundraising initiative supporting Dublin Simon Community and The Hope Foundation, organised in partnership with the Law Society of Ireland.
- 100+ of our trainees help with stewarding
- 50+ employees running
- €19K+ raised and donated by the firm
Belfast charity partnership with Northern Ireland (NI) Hospice
- 18 people took part in the Dragon Boat Race.
- first ever Sip and Shop event bringing together sustainable shopping and fundraising.
- summer fundraising including the annual raffle and a bake off.
Festive events
- ALG Choir Christmas Concert.
- festive bake sale in aid of St. Joseph’s Co-ed Primary School and the Irish Red Cross.
- toy appeal for IFSC Inner City Trust, St Vincent De Paul, One Family, the Jesuit Refugee Service and H.O.P.E.
- fundraising for NI Hospice and Concern’s Water for Gaza Appeal.
ALG choir supporting Depaul Ireland
raised in 2025
raised in total
ALG choir’s partnership with Depaul Ireland, including our annual concerts and performances:
- directly support Depaul’s frontline homelessness services
- help thousands of individuals and families access emergency accommodation, housing and prevention services
- raises awareness of Depaul’s work
- gives our choir members a meaningful, collective way to contribute
Concern Worldwide’s Water for Gaza appeal
In 2025 our NI office raised £3,300 in support of Concern Worldwide’s Water for Gaza Appeal.
This contribution joins the wider effort across NI’s legal community, which aimed to raise £250,000 to help Concern Worldwide restore access to clean water, repair damaged water systems and deliver vital sanitation facilities for families in Gaza.
“Access to clean water is a basic human necessity, yet for many families in Gaza it has become increasingly difficult to secure. We are incredibly proud of our team for coming together to support Concern Worldwide’s Water for Gaza Appeal and to play a small part in helping deliver critical aid where it is needed most.”
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