Let's Talk: Accents in the Legal Profession

Elli Bainton, our Welsh Language & Publicity and Comms Officer and soon-to-be trainee solicitor at Blake Morgan, is passionate about social mobility and challenging assumptions about what legal professionals are "supposed" to sound like, look like, and be like.

Read her article "Let's Talk: Accents in the Legal Profession" below!

Who Sounds Like a Lawyer?

I was born and bred in the Welsh Valleys, from a working-class background, descended from Welsh miners and steelworkers. That history lives in my voice, and I am incredibly proud of it. For most of my life, my Valleys accent was simply part of who I was, and it never made me feel out of place.

That changed when I began studying and working in law. Gradually, I became more aware of how my accent was perceived and interpreted in academic and professional settings. What had once felt entirely neutral began to feel noticeable and, at times, scrutinised.

This awareness followed me into my LPC, where I practised advocacy and delivered oral submissions to my tutor and classmates. At the end of one exercise, when peers were invited to give feedback, a student commented that my accent was “too strong”. I do not believe the comment was intended maliciously, and my tutor quickly intervened, reassuring me that I spoke clearly and confidently and that my accent was not at all an issue. Even so, the remark stayed with me, not because it was overtly hurtful, but because it echoed similar comments I had encountered throughout my journey in law.

There were other moments too. Casual remarks, from different people, that others might not understand me, or that I did not quite “sound like a lawyer.” Often these comments were framed as jokes or offhand observations, but over time they revealed how easily certain voices are treated as the norm, while others are questioned. These moments planted small but persistent seeds of doubt, making me question my place in the profession and whether I really belonged.

These experiences led me to look more closely at how people with regional accents like mine are treated within the legal profession, not as isolated incidents, but as part of a broader culture. I began to notice how often confidence, credibility, and competence are unconsciously tied to how someone sounds, rather than to the substance of what they say. It raised difficult questions about why certain accents are still viewed as neutral or professional, while others are treated as something to be softened, managed, or corrected.

Accent as a Marker of Class

Accent is one of the clearest and most immediate signals of socioeconomic background. Research cited by the Sutton Trust shows that more than a quarter of senior professionals from working-class backgrounds report being singled out for their accent in the workplace. Similarly, findings from the Accent Bias in Britain project reveal that 30% of university students and 29% of university applicants have been mocked, criticised, or singled out in educational settings because of their accents. For many, the impact does not end at entry points; individuals with strong regional accents are also less likely to be promoted and often face additional barriers to career progression.

This is particularly striking when set against the continued dominance of the so-called “standard” accent, known as Received Pronunciation (RP), sometimes referred to as the Queen’s English. RP is spoken natively by fewer than 3% of the population, yet it is still widely regarded as the benchmark for professionalism, authority, and credibility. The fact that an accent used by such a small minority is still regarded as the “correct” way to sound exposes how deeply social and cultural assumptions shape professional norms. It also highlights a troubling reality: many people are judged not on their knowledge, ability, or performance, but on an aspect of their identity they did not choose and cannot change.

Accent Bias in the Legal Profession

In 2022, almost half (49%) of solicitors in England and Wales were based in Greater London and the South East, while the North West, including cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, accounted for just 9%. When senior legal spaces are shaped by a narrow geographic and social profile, it is unsurprising that only certain voices are viewed as “professional,” reinforcing restrictive ideas about what a lawyer should sound like.

The impact of this goes far beyond questions of image or perception. A fair and effective justice system should reflect the society it serves. When one way of speaking dominates senior legal spaces, it risks entrenching a “them and us” divide, where those who do not sound the part are made to feel like outsiders. Diverse accents signal that law is not reserved for a particular background or voice, and that people from regional and working-class communities belong within the profession. This is not merely symbolic. Who is heard in legal spaces directly influences how the law is interpreted, argued, and applied, and whether it responds to the lived realities of the communities it affects.

Despite this, the profession has long placed a premium on so-called “posh” accents, often equating them with authority, intelligence, or credibility. Yet professionalism should be measured by clarity of thought, strength of argument, and integrity, not by accent. When assumptions about competence are tied to how someone sounds, they reinforce barriers in a profession already grappling with access and representation.

Accent bias also remains largely unaddressed in law. Accents and socioeconomic background are not protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, meaning this form of discrimination often goes unchecked, despite its clear impact on confidence, progression, and belonging.

This issue extends well beyond the legal profession. In business, education, and public life, judgments about how people speak continue to shape opportunities and perceptions of ability. If organisations are serious about inclusion, accent bias must be recognised and challenged, whether it appears in formal feedback, casual remarks, or internal assumptions. That challenge begins with questioning our own reactions and speaking up when we hear others being reduced or dismissed because of the way they sound.

Changing the Sound of the Legal Profession

Accent-based stereotypes have real and lasting consequences, shaping confidence, opportunity, and progression in ways that often go unspoken. Ability, insight, and expertise are not determined by how someone sounds, and no one should feel the need to soften or change their voice to meet an outdated idea of professionalism.

The legal profession benefits when a wider range of voices are heard and respected. When people are able to speak in their own voice, without apology or self-correction, the law becomes more representative, more accessible, and ultimately stronger.