Macfarlanes has adopted a 'CV-blind' policy for places on its vacation schemes in an effort to increase diversity at the firm.

Macfarlanes usually receives around 1,000 applications every year for its Easter and summer vacation schemes and decided to trial blind interviewing on 180 successful applicants during its graduate open days which were held in February and March.

Out of the 180 applicants inverviewed, 52 have been offered a place across the firm's three vacation schemes – one in Easter and two in the summer. Each year the firm typically offers places to between 50-55 graduates.

While invitations to open days are still based on candidates' CVs, the day itself includes a range of exercises which are unrelated to CVs. In the blind interviews, partners are given only the candidate's name and no details of their educational background, allowing them to score their performance based on the interview alone.

Many students who get a place on the vacation scheme then go on to secure a training contract with the firm. The firm is considering extending blind interviewing for assessment days which take place between now and the autumn for training contracts at the firm.

The policy is being driven by the firm's trainee solicitor committee and graduate recruitment team which includes the firm's head of diversity Nicola Richards and head of recruitment Sean Lavin (pictured).

Lavin said: "The lack of diversity in the profession is well known. We keep our recruitment procedures under constant review and blind interviewing seemed to us to be reasonably simple to introduce. If this small step helps to eliminate any bias in favour for or against candidates from particular backgrounds then we regard that as a good thing."

In March Macfarlanes offered training contracts to six trainees, with all accepting a place.

This year Macfarlanes also increased the number of universities it targeted, developing links with Lancaster, Reading, Sussex and Newcastle for the first time. The firm has also joined up with Rare Recruitment in a bid to build connections with students at a broader range of universities.

In the first year of the recruitment initiative, the firm's annual 100-strong trainee intake came from 41 different education institutions, up by 28% on the previous year when trainees came from a pool of 32 institutions.

The firm put the "CV blind" process in place for the final interview stage with candidates following a comprehensive review of its selection process, in a push to reduce bias towards Oxbridge and other leading universities.

Mayer Brown is also planning to introduce the blind CV policy into its London office this year in a bid to boost social diversity.