Blogs 14 July 2025

Celebrating Pride Month at Russell-Cooke—reflections from the ED&I Group

Chris Barkley

4 min Read

June was Pride Month, and here at Russell-Cooke, our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) group was in full celebration mode—along with plenty of colleagues across the firm.

We were out and about at Pride events, both in and outside the office. Whilst it is evident that the legal sector overall has made progress, the recent global political climate is a reminder that progress can face push back. It is vital to make sure the positive progress that has been made is not undone. This makes it even more poignant to celebrate Pride and highlights why it is important to remember that, as well as being a celebration, the origins of Pride were born out of protest for equal rights following the Stonewall riots of 1969. In the face of an ever-unstable political world, it is imperative that we continue to shout about Pride, the progress that has been made, and do all we can to continue the progress that those brave individuals fought hard for in years gone by. Equal rights are something we at Russell-Cooke hold at the heart of all we do.

Lording it up

Our celebrations began in style at the House of Lords where our lawyers attended an event hosted by JLL, one of the big names in property. As well as an opportunity to network on the terrace in the sun, the event was also supporting vulnerable LGBT+ people and talks were given by the charities: Age UK and Stonewall Housing. This highlighted the difficulties older LGBTQ+ people can face when going into care — challenges often rooted in ongoing stigma within the older generation — and how many LGBTQ+ individuals continue to experience rejection, which can sometimes result in homelessness.

There were some inspiring and brave people in attendance. Anecdotally we met a man who went on the first ever Pride March (the one from 1972). His partner had gone into a care home and had to go back “in the closet” – because of the prejudice that is still often faced by the older generation. It was very moving, especially considering how pioneering he’d been. We also met a fabulous lady who said she’d spent most of the 90s on the other side of the House of Lords yelling in protest – so she’d never expected to be invited in!

Dame Julia Hoggett

Next up was an inspiring ‘fireside chat’ as part of the Interlaw Diversity Forum with guest speaker Dame Julia Hoggett. She shared her fascinating story including the challenges faced entering the male dominated world of banking as a young lesbian, her views on the recent backlash against ED&I and an insight into her own brand of leadership. Dame Julia emphasised the importance of allowing people to feel safe at work by being their true selves and the positive impact that that has on work ethic, loyalty and productivity.

Stonewall breakfast

As proud Stonewall Diversity Champions, we headed over to Stonewall’s offices for a Pride Month breakfast. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with familiar faces, meet new people, and enjoy some croissants and coffee. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and inclusive—everything Pride should be. We’re looking forward to more events with Stonewall in the future.

Screening of ‘Queer’

Our ED&I committee invited members and allies to watch an internal viewing of the film ‘Queer’ with Daniel Craig. The group met before and afterwards over drinks and nibbles so they could catch up generally and discuss the film.

Inner Temple – 'Pride in Practice'

At the peak of pride month, the ED&I group headed to Inner Temple for the networking and drinks event ‘Pride in Practice’. Hosted by the four Inns of Court, the Bar Council and Law Society of England and Wales and co-sponsored by Russell-Cooke. There were nearly 200 people in attendance with many senior figures from the judiciary, Bar Council and the Law Society in attendance. The atmosphere was fantastic and we were entertained by choir The Pink Singers to a variety of songs which went down brilliantly. Very much an evening to remember.

Queer Today Gone Tomorrow

A small contingent went along one lunchtime to the Barbican to view the exhibition: Queer Today Gone Tomorrow, which focused on the theme of ‘The Lost and Loved Venues of Gay London’. The gallery owner talked us through the exhibition, which was interesting, nostalgic and, in respect of some of the closed down venues, quite sad. Another reminder of how complacency can erode culture if it is not robustly protected.

All in all, it was a varied and inspiring Pride Month – and perhaps one of the most important in recent years. We’re proud to support and celebrate our LGBTQ+ colleagues and communities—every day of the year. Happy Pride!

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