Diverse Legal Leaders - resource hub

Bright Network Diverse Legal Leaders 2026 is taking place on Friday, 16th October. We're looking forward to it, and hope you are too! The leading employers joining us (including RPC, Clyde & Co, Slaughter and May and more) are excited to connect with you and other members to share their insights with you.

We know attending events can be a bit nerve-wracking for some people, so we want to make sure we provide as much reassurance and guidance as possible to ensure Diverse Legal Leaders is an enjoyable experience and safe place for everyone.

• Accessibility and inclusion for in-person attendees - if you're attending in-person, look at this section to see what support is available (from prayer rooms and gender neutral bathrooms to speaking to a certified Mental Health First Aider).
• We have created an online community where you can meet other attendees before the event. Join the Diverse Legal Leaders 2026 LinkedIn group via the links in the emails we've sent to you since you got a place at the event (try searching for "Your Application to Bright Network Diverse Legal Leaders 2026" in your inbox).
• Networking top tips and etiquette - here are some key Dos and Don'ts for networking and access extra resources to feel confident in your networking abilities before the event.

Venue

Accessing the venue

This year’s Diverse Legal Leaders is taking place at The Minster Building. There is step-free access to this venue. For information about the venue’s accessibility, take a look at Cavendish Venues website. If you require any other accessibility support at the venue, please let us know.

Prayer room

If you require a prayer room during the event, please speak to the Bright Network team at reception and they can direct you to the dedicated space.

Mental health support

If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed at the event - either because of anxiety, autism, or anything else - we have lots of support available, please don’t suffer in silence.

In the main room - where the keynote, panel, skill sessions will take place - we have some reserved seating. The seats at the front are for our Student Leadership Board members, but we also have some by the aisle and at the back reserved for any members who have a mental or physical health condition and would prefer having an easy way to exit the room. If a reserved seat would help you feel more comfortable at the event, please let us know on your application form and/or by emailing us at [email protected].

If you need a quiet space to take a few minutes and calm down, speak to someone from Bright Network (you can always find someone at reception, but we’re also around the venue all day) and they can take you to a dedicated space. A mental health first aider from the Bright Network team will be onsite too, so they can also help you if required.

Auditory support

All speakers during the event will be speaking through a microphone, but if you’re hard of hearing we will also be showing closed captioning on at least one of the presentation screens. Please just bear in mind that it is live captioning so may not be 100% accurate.

If you require an auditory loop, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

The hosts', speakers' and panellists' introductions will include an audio description for any attendees with visual impairments. For example, "My name is Hester and my pronouns are she/they. I'm the Senior Events Marketing Executive at Bright Network. I'm a white person in her early twenties with curly ginger hair. I'm wearing a green t-shirt and behind me is a busy office."

Requesting a travel cost reimbursement

We would really like all our students to be able to have the opportunity to attend our events and we want to support where possible. Anyone attending Diverse Legal Leaders in-person is eligible for a reimbursement of up to £30. To request a reimbursement, complete and submit this form with any supporting documentation to [email protected].

You need to attend the event in full to receive the reimbursement. Reimbursements will be sent out after the event you are attending. You need to have submitted the form by 15th October 2026, 11:59pm in order to be eligible.

Support from the Bright Network team

The Bright Network events team will be present around the venue all day. If you have a question or require support at any point during the event, we can always be found at reception at the entrance of the events space.

If you need first aid assistance at any point during the event, a mental health first aider and a physical first aider will be available to help.

Anything we haven’t covered? Get in touch

If you need support with anything prior to or during the event, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] and we'd be more than happy to help. Additionally, if you have any requirements that would help your attendance at the event be more accessible, please let us know and we can make suitable arrangements.

Anything we haven’t covered? Get in touch

If you need support with anything prior to or during the event, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] and we'd be more than happy to help. Additionally, if you have any requirements that would help your attendance at the event be more accessible, please let us know and we can make suitable arrangements.