What makes us unique

Our 3-Point Approach

Focused on future potential

What's the use of a diversity scheme that only judges you on your past achievements? We believe that true diversity is about future potential and cannot be expressed as tickboxes - that's why we interview 80%+ of applicants to our Programmes.

Find out more about how our Membership and our Programmes (Supernova and shift()) can help you uncover your true potential.

Explore STRIVE Programmes

A tailored approach

Our formula for success is that there is no formula - the way we offer our support reflects our belief that every candidate is unique.

What does this mean for you?
For students: We do not take the decision to accept you onto our programmes lightly, because once you're in, we go on a journey with you, from the highs to the lows, through the laughs and the tears. In our programmes, you get unlimited support - whether it is 1 hour or 100 hours you need to get you to where you want to be. We also do not confine ourselves to those who are currently still at uni.
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For Corporates: Think of us as an extension of your graduate recruitment team - during our interviews and within our Programmes, we spend countless hours to get to know our candidates so well that we can make tailored recommendations for you and your firm - whether you're looking for your next Trainee, Paralegal or Legal Technologist hire.

Man in maroon jumper and turban in office space

Ahead of the game

In 2022,

we launched the UK's first LegalTech bootcamp for students.

It’s no secret that the legal industry is ripe for technological innovation and disruption – both law firms and their future recruits know it.

That's why we launched shift() to offer students an opportunity to gain a concrete understanding about the future of legal services.

Explore STRIVE Programmes

Team

STRIVE is led by an agile, vibrant team of young lawyers - dare we say #millennials - who have our fingers on the pulse of the graduate market. This is why our offerings are unparalleled in the industry: we challenge you to prove us wrong!

Zaid Shafi

Operations Manager

Zahra Rahman

Programme Manager

Zahra is a recent graduate from Queen Mary University of London after obtaining a first class English degree. Passionate about social mobility in the legal sector, she joined STRIVE as Programme Manager soon after graduating.

Sana Shafi

Chief Executive Officer

Sana is one of STRIVE's two co-founders. She is an Associate in the Investment Funds team in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Prior to this, Sana was a Trainee Solicitor at Travers Smith.

Bertilla Chow

Chief Operating Officer

Bertilla is one of STRIVE's co-founders. She is a non-practising Solicitor (England & Wales) after having trained at Ashurst LLP, and a future Pupil Barrister at New Square Chambers. She is also the Director of shift(), STRIVE's LegalTech programme.

Chris Ireland

Chief Technology Officer

Chris is a Trainee Solicitor at Clifford Chance LLP. Prior to this, he worked as Legal Engineer in a range of law firms, startups and consultancies. He is also the Vice-Director of shift().

Trustee Board

Mohsin Patel

Mohsin is the Co-Founder of IslamicFinanceGuru. He is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales and trained at Squire Patton Boggs LLP.

Sakhee Ganatra

Sakhee is an Associate in the Incentives team at Mishcon de Reya LLP. She specialises in advising clients on the design, implementation and compliance of UK and global employee incentives arrangements.

Mahesh Varia

Mahesh is Head of Travers Smith LLP's Incentives & Remuneration Group, having become a partner in 2006.

Chris Hale

Chris is Travers Smith LLP's Chair Emeritus and is a senior consultant in the Private Equity & Financial Sponsors Group, which he founded in 1996. Chris was Senior Partner between 2013 and 2019, Head of Corporate from 2003 to 2013, and was made a partner in 1987.

Those who've come before

The story

of our co-founders

We are two female and BAME co-founders who are ourselves from socially mobile backgrounds: Sana went to the second-worst performing state school in her borough, while Tilly's eyes were opened going from a state-funded school to a boarding school on a full means-tested scholarship.

Motivated by these lived experiences, STRIVE was founded as a 'bedroom startup' in July 2018, our exponential growth fuelled by the sheer passion and progressive vision we both have for diversity - and in particular social mobility - for the UK's legal industry.

STRIVE is built on the potential we see in those who are still driven to succeed despite the odds stacked against them because ultimately - we are you.

Mix of students presenting in an office space with a flip chart

500+

Applications per year for STRIVE programmes

* Including Supernova and shift(Bootcamp)

Our candidates at a glance.

95%

of our candidates attended a state school; the remaining 5% attained a full scholarship to a fee-paying school due to their socio-economic background.

71%

were the first generation in their family to attend university.

80%

attended a non-Russell Group university or a 'lower' RG university.

61%

are from an ethnic minority background.

Who we are

Mission & Ethos

We source and develop talent

from intersectionally diverse, socially mobile, and under-represented backgrounds and help them realise their true potential. There is no shortcut, simply talent.