Bar Council Equality Objectives 2012-13

Introduction

As the approved regulator of barristers, the Bar Council is committed to meeting in full the general public equality duty. This requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic (in relation to age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership) and other individuals.

In accordance with the Specific Duties Regulations 2011, the Bar Council has published equality evidence, The Bar Council actively promotes the collection and publication of transparent data on the profile of the Bar, which is used to inform the Bar Council's policy, the profession and wider society.

The Bar Standards Board, the independent body through which the Bar Council carries out its regulatory functions, has also published equality evidence and developed objectives relating to its public functions.

The Bar Council has held long-term aims to widen access to the Bar, create a diverse and inclusive profession, encourage good practice in the management of chambers and the delivery of legal services, recruit and manage its staff fairly and create an inclusive working environment where staff from diverse backgrounds and with varied experience can thrive. A key Bar Council strategic objective is to encourage access to and diversity within the profession, so that it is open to all those of ability whatever their background. Please read the Bar Council's latest Strategic Plan and its annual reports

Measurable Equality objectives

The Bar Council has taken account of the following factors in developing its measurable equality objectives:

Equality and diversity statistics and research on the profession
The Bar Council's long-term work to strengthen equality and diversity in the profession
The Neuberger Working Party Report on Entry to the Bar and the work of its Equality and Diversity Committee,
Consultation with groups represented on its Equality and Diversity Committee.
Results of feedback from the staff group and survey.

Action areas

Having fully considered all the evidence, the Bar Council will focus its activities on the following key challenges:

The high drop-out rate of women barristers after 10-12 years of self-employed practice. The research evidence suggests that this is associated with multiple factors, including family caring responsibilities, the nature of self-employed practice, the demands of court-based practice and the disproportionate representation of women in publicly funded practice areas, which are experiencing significant reductions in work due to changes in funding and other arrangements.
The disparity in the diversity profile of pupillage applicants and pupils focussing particularly on gender, ethnicity, disability and socio-economic background. The Bar Council will publish a guide to fair recruitment and develop training courses based on it so that Barristers' Chambers are better able to identify potential in candidates from diverse backgrounds. A new guide will be developed with information for disabled students. Careers marketing strategies are being employed to guide and assist school students from all backgrounds with the aptitude for practice at the Bar.
In respect of the Bar Council's staff, feedback from a staff survey and the staff group indicates increasing rates of workplace stress. A key staff objective this year is to achieve a reduction in the rate of staff workplace stress.

Evaluation of progress

The published equality evidence serves as an evidence base against which the Bar Council will review annual progress on achieving its objectives. The annual Bar Barometer, the annual survey on barristers leaving or changing practice status and the biennial survey of barristers' working lives will show the progress of our initiatives to retain and strengthen diversity. A report of progress on meeting the equality objectives will be passed to the Bar Council's Equality and Diversity Committee and the elected Bar Council, and outcomes will be published on the website annually.

We have also produced an action plan showing objectives, activities, milestones and timescales.