Linklaters has put together a new team to lead its diversity efforts alongside a push to ramp up the number of universities it targets for its graduate intake.

The group, called the 'Diversity Action Team', is headed by corporate partner and co-chair of the firm's black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) network, Tom Shropshire (pictured), alongside counsel Paulette Mastin, London graduate recruitment partners Richard Hodgson and Simon Branigan and diversity partner Euan Clarke.

The team will lead a new push from the firm to attract a more diverse mix of graduates from a variety of backgrounds. In 2012, Linklaters' London graduate trainee intake was drawn from 30 different institutions, while this year, the firm is hoping to target 59 UK universities.

According to the firm's 2012 diversity data, 90% of partners and 72% of associates at the firm are white, as well as 87% of staff in business services. Just 1% of junior associates are black, while 16% are of Asian origin.

Shropshire said: "There is a real commitment to change at the firm and during the past few years, we have been focused on taking practical steps forward and increasing our BAME lawyers and members of business services across the firm. Without question, we are making a concerted effort to design a solution that is long-term and addresses each of the steps in the path to Linklaters – and that effort has the full backing of our management and senior partner."

Organisations that the firm works in partnership with include Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and the Social Mobility Foundation, both of which work to improve access to City professions for high-achieving students from low income and ethnic minority backgrounds.

The firm is also participating in Pure Potential – a series of roadshows across the UK promoting university access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds – and is supporting the Warwick Multicultural Scholars' Programme, which helps law students whose families have their origins in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Africa and the Caribbean.