Bar Council Kicks Off Week of Events to Promote Entry to the Bar

8 July 2010

The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, is launching a week-long programme of events aimed at promoting and enhancing better access to the profession. This will include a day-long conference in Birmingham, for sixth-formers interested in a career at the Bar and the fourth annual Bar Placement Scheme, in conjunction with the Social Mobility Foundation. 

The events closely follow the publication of Equally Professional: Like minds on different journeys, published by the Professional Associations Research Network and Equality and Human Rights Commission. The report celebrates the work of Equally Professional, a network of professional bodies (including the Bar Council) committed to promoting equality and diversity in and through their memberships, and thereby widening access and opportunity.

‘How to get to the Bar’, a conference for Sixth Form Students interested in becoming a barrister is being held on Saturday 10 July 2010 at St Philips Chambers, in Birmingham. The conference is jointly arranged by the Bar Council, Aimhigher and St Philips. It is aimed at 80 bright Year 12 students, primarily from state schools and colleges in and around Birmingham, who have a genuine interest in becoming a lawyer and are interested in finding out about a law degree and the work of barristers.

The Bar Placement Scheme, which runs for its fourth successive year, from Monday 12 July – Friday 16 July, in conjunction with the Social Mobility Foundation, will give 48 students from the maintained sector the opportunity to gain a broad insight into the day-to-day life of a barrister and an understanding of the legal profession. The scheme is different from more traditional work experience and encourages as much exposure as possible to practical tasks. As well as meeting a range of legal professionals, the week will include:

  • Work shadowing a barrister;
  • A talk by His Honour Judge  Zeidman QC, Resident Judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court, and observing a trial;
  • An advocacy training session;
  • An essay competition with three prizes to be won; and
  • A reception, hosted by the Chairman of the Bar, Nicholas Green QC, to review the week.

Both the conference and the Bar Placement Scheme form part of the Bar Council’s much wider programme of activities to make the Bar as accessible as possible to any applicant with the talent to succeed.

Nicholas Green QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, said:

“I am delighted to play such an active role in the Bar’s commitment to access to the profession and to increasing social mobility. Both the ‘How to Get to the Bar’ conference and the Bar Placement Scheme will give me, and other members of the Bar, the opportunity to meet with and engage a broad range of bright and talented young students. We are delighted once again to be associated with the Social Mobility Foundation, which does so much important and influential work to shape the lives of extremely capable A-level students.

“In particular, in the wake of Lord Neuberger’s report on entry to the Bar in 2007, the Bar Council has dedicated itself to meeting the challenges his working group set the profession. Under the guidance of David Pittaway QC, a dedicated Bar Council committee works tirelessly throughout the year to promote new initiatives and events and is helping to maintain and improve the profession’s diverse and high quality intake.”

David Johnston, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation said:

“The Social Mobility Foundation is delighted to once again be running the Bar Placement week with the Bar Council. It is essential for a charity such as our own that we have the buy-in of professions that our young people aspire to enter; the commitment of the Bar Council and so many participating chambers to the week is key to its success and underlines the importance the Bar places on demystifying the profession for less privileged students.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. Social Mobility Foundation students are high-achievers from low income backgrounds and fulfil the Social Mobility Foundation’s eligibility criteria. 81% of the Social Mobility Foundation’s students are from an ethnic minority, 76% have parents who did not go to university and 82% receive the full Educational Maintenance Allowance, meaning their household income is less than £20,817. For more information on the Social Mobility Foundation, please visit http://www.socialmobility.org.uk/. 
 
2. David Pittaway QC is the Chairman of the Training for the Bar Committee, the Bar Council Committee whose remit includes overseeing and promoting access to the profession.
 
3. For more information on the Bar’s work on access to the profession, please refer to ‘No bar to the Bar’, which can be found here. 
 
4. For further information, or for interview requests, please contact the Bar Council Press Office on 020 7222 2525.
 
5. The General Council of the Bar is the Approved Regulator of the Bar of England and Wales. It discharges its regulatory functions through the independent Bar Standards Board. It represents the Bar by:

  • Promoting the specialist advocacy and advisory services of barristers;
  • Ensuring access to justice on terms that are fair both to the public and practitioners;
  • Promoting the high quality training and professional development of all barristers to ensure the highest standards of practice and ethical behaviour;
  • Working for the efficient and cost-effective administration of justice;
  • Encouraging access to, and diversity within, the profession so that it is open to all people of ability whatever their background; and
  • Strengthening and developing the work and the values of the Bar at home and abroad.