For years, law firms have been pledging to take recruits from a wider variety of educational backgrounds. So have they delivered on their promises? Justin Cash reports

In the demanding world of commercial law, fresh talent is at a premium. The bar is set high for new trainees; they must have not just the intellect, but also the passion and dedication to impress recruiters. 

But while no one is challenging the need to have such demanding standards, there have been longstanding calls to widen the graduate intake and to look for high-calibre applicants beyond the traditional recruitment ground. As things stand, however, the gene pool of successful candidates still seems to be biased towards those who attend the most distinguished universities in the UK.