Autism Awareness Month

Here at MSB, we are delighted to be taking part in Autism Awareness Month, a global movement raising awareness of autism spectrum disorders. The initiative also seeks to highlight the difficulties and discrimination faced by autistic individuals and how we can create a more supportive society.

Autism is a lifelong spectrum condition that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. There are approximately 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, and more than one in 100 people are on the autism spectrum.

This year’s theme is colour, and we will be wearing some of our brightest clothes throughout the month to show our support. We will also continue to fundraise for the National Autistic Society, an amazing charity that supports autistic individuals and their families throughout the UK.

#NowIKnow Campaign

As part of the initiative, the National Autistic Society has launched the #NowIKnow Campaign, which features powerful films, stories, and photography of autistic women and non-binary people across the country who have shared their experiences of late diagnosis of autism.

This campaign is particularly important due to the current disparity in diagnosis between men and women. There are many women, girls, and non-binary people on the autism spectrum, however, men are currently three times more likely to be diagnosed. The campaign was inspired by the words of Dawn Mills, who was diagnosed at the age of 56 and features in the campaign. She said: “I always knew who I was, now I know why I am.”

Here at MSB, we will be sharing resources throughout the month to help promote awareness, before providing dedicated autism training for our staff later in the month.

ESG Commitment

At MSB, ESG is an essential component of everything we do. It runs throughout every element of the firm and is at our very core. Our Equalities Committee strives to understand and challenge the barriers that remain within the legal profession, better enabling us to provide high quality services to the diverse communities we represent. Initiatives such as this are vital to the firm, and we are excited to have the opportunity to take part in such an important event.