The 'Pathways' concept was initiated in 2001 at The University of Edinburgh with the launch of the 'Pathways into the Professions' programme. The project encourages progression by under-represented school students into professional courses in Law, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Architecture. Supported by the Sutton Trust, the programme was a great success and had become an established element of the University's widening participation provision.

In 2002, The College of Law joined forces with The Sutton Trust to support a 'Law and Society' Winter School at the London School of Economics, and in 2005 the College funded research undertaken by the Trust to establish 'The Educational Backgrounds of the UK'S Top Solicitors, Barristers and Judges'.

The research found that 68% of UK-educated barristers and 75% of UK-educated judges are educated in the fee-paying sector, despite the fact that overall only 7% of young people attend schools and colleges in this sector. The evidence in the report indicates that young people from the state sector are significantly underrepresented in high-status positions in the Law profession. The statistics related to University attendance are even more relealing with 82% of barristers in leading chambers and 81% of judges in the High or Appeal Courts being Oxbridge graduates.

One year after the publication of the reseach, The College of Law and The Sutton Trust agreed to establish 'Pathways to Law' and the programme is now supported by seven higher-education partners, which are members of the Russell Group, the group of leadins research-intensive institutions in the UK. The programme is also supported nationally by The College of Law, Brightside, as well as both national and international Law firms.