Herbert Smith Freehills London office

Herbert Smith Freehills has launched a programme to recruit people with autism, with four individuals hired to specific roles at the firm so far.

The firm has partnered with the charity Autism Forward for its recruitment process, which helps get autistic adults into employment.

According to 2016 figures from the National Autistic Society, just 16% of autistic adults were in full-time employment, despite 79% of people with autism surveyed at the time wanting to work.

So far, the firm's programme has seen it hire a data analyst in its London legal operations team and a support role in the corporate practice.

Another two people were recruited to join the firm's Belfast-based alternative legal services team – one trainee and one legal analyst.

HSF global diversity and inclusion head Alison Brown said in a statement: "Every business wants to ensure it recruits and retains the best talent for each role and this means having the right support processes in place at every stage of the candidate and employee journey."

HSF is also working with AS Mentoring, an organisation providing specialist coaching and mentoring support, to identify and support autistic candidates who have the skills appropriate to the available roles within the firm.

According to the firm, a key part of the new programme will involve working with the teams to which autistic individuals are recruited. Training will be provided to enhance awareness about a broad range of working practices and communication styles, including but not limited to those identifying as being on the autism spectrum.

HSF's programme follows a similar move at the start of this year by Linklaters, which made a series of hires on the back of a partnership with an IT consulting firm that specialises in finding roles for individuals on the autism spectrum.

The Magic Circle firm recruited three autistic employees for roles that will see them contribute to the pitching process in tandem with the marketing and business development teams, with a focus on data analysis and data matching.