As headline sponsor, Weightmans helped bring together employers and business leaders to explore how collaboration can tackle youth unemployment and drive inclusive growth.
Weightmans’ managing partner Sarah Walton sat down with entrepreneur and broadcaster Sara Davies MBE for a fireside chat, capturing the spirit of this year’s Raise Up Youth Summit by exploring how resilience, individuality and authenticity can shape professional success.
Bonding over their working-class roots, with Sarah from Yorkshire and Sara from the North East, the pair reflected on how their upbringings shaped their values and determination to succeed. Both spoke candidly about being “minorities in the room” at different stages of their careers, and how those experiences, rather than holding them back, became a source of strength.
Sarah opened the discussion by recalling her early years in law and the pressure she once felt to change her accent to “fit in,” before realising that authenticity was the key to genuine success. Her story echoed Sara’s powerful message that “being a minority everywhere I went felt like a barrier, but actually it’s like a superpower.”
Sharing her own experiences of overcoming prejudice, Sara said: “I had to work twice as hard as other people because I was always under-estimated. I turned that into fuel.”
Together, their stories captured the essence of resilience and self-belief, encouraging young people to embrace what makes them different and turn barriers into strengths.
Closing the session, Sarah described Sara as “an inspiration to me and to the young people in the room today,” while Sara urged attendees to “make the most of today – don’t be shy, it’s your future.”
Sarah’s final words reflected the energy and optimism in the room: “Grab those opportunities, and within this room today we’ve been able to show just how talent and opportunity can come together.”
More broadly, law firm Weightmans played a pivotal role at last week’s Raise Up Youth Summit, reinforcing its commitment to breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for young people across the Liverpool City Region.
As headline sponsor, Weightmans helped bring together employers, educators and community leaders to explore how collaboration can tackle youth unemployment and drive inclusive growth.
The event, held at Boxpark Liverpool and organised by Rise Construction Framework, brought together around 300 young people and approximately 100 employers from across the region. Throughout the day, attendees took part in inspiring discussions, hands-on workshops and skills sessions delivered by Accenture, Microsoft and LinkedIn, all focused on equipping young people with the confidence and tools they need to succeed.
The summit also marked a milestone for Weightmans, which, on the same day, was named one of the UK’s top social mobility employers, ranking 15th in the 2025 Social Mobility Employer Index, its highest-ever position. The firm was recognised for its sustained efforts to improve access, representation and progression within the legal profession.
Speaking after the Summit, Sarah Walton, Managing Partner at Weightmans, said: “The Raise Up Youth Summit is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when employers, educators and young people come together to champion opportunity.
“At Weightmans, we believe that social mobility isn’t just a responsibility, it’s an opportunity to unlock potential. By investing in young people and helping them see their differences as strengths, we’re not only shaping futures but building stronger, more diverse workplaces.”
The summit also featured thought-provoking talks from former England footballer and Football for Change co-chair Jamie Carragher, and BBC journalist Ashley John-Baptiste, who encouraged young people to see challenges as opportunities for growth.
Movement to Work CEO Sareena Bains also announced the launch of YouthPath Liverpool City Region - a new partnership with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to help 16–30-year-olds not in education, employment or training gain vital skills and experience.
Sareena Bains, CEO of Movement to Work, added: “The Raise Up Summit has demonstrated the power of partnership in action.
“Employers across Liverpool City Region are stepping forward to make a difference, and we’re proud to support them in creating meaningful, lasting opportunities for young people.”
