10,000 Black interns programme: information for chambers and AETOs
What is 10KBI?
10,000 Black Interns (“10KBI”) is a programme designed to support Black students and graduates and address chronic under-representation of Black talent across various sectors. The aim of the programme is to broaden horizons and ambition by giving interns confidence in a professional environment, to allow them to make contacts and to increase diversity in under-represented areas of industry, the city, and professions.
Our participation in the 10,000 Intern Foundation programme is to encourage applications to the Bar. The programme has been running since 2022.
We support this initiative in line with the aims of the Bar Council’s Race Panel: to address barriers faced by Black barristers and challenge systemic disadvantage faced by the Black community.
How to get involved
Interested in hosting an intern? Here’s what’s involved:
- Host at least one intern for a minimum of one week during summer 2026
- Provide interns with meaningful exposure to the Bar. This may include but is not limited to court observations, joining client conferences, advocacy exercises, legal research and drafting tasks
How is the programme organised?
- Each intern rotates between up to 6 chambers and organisations during their 6-week placement, to gain a broad experience of the Bar
- Chambers and organisations are grouped together to host interns
- Each group has a group lead who coordinates a timetable for hosting
- As a host, you will be put in touch with your group to agree suitable dates for hosting
- The group lead will liaise with both you and your intern(s) to confirm a workable schedule
- Interns rotate between up to 6 chambers and organisations during their placement to ensure broad experience
- Hosts are invited to contribute financially towards the programme. We manage all funding contributed by hosts and they will go towards interns’ payment, or towards the (minimal) costs of the induction and closing days
The options on the form are presented in number of weeks paid at the London Living Wage (LLW).
Please note: your financial contribution is treated differently to your hosting commitment, i.e. your funding contribution will not necessarily correspond to the number of interns or weeks you host.
All funding contributed by participating Bar organisations will go towards payments to interns, or towards the (minimal) costs of the induction day and closing day.
Interns will be paid the LLW as a minimum - funding received above this amount will be divided equally among interns (after any induction day/closing day costs have been accounted for) on top of the LLW amount.
If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected]
Timetable
Application process
You can apply for internship through 10,000 Interns Foundation.
Submit your application under the “The Bar” workstream by 19 October to be considered for an internship at the Bar.
Applications will be reviewed by our steering groupShortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a written assessment.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a video presentation aimed to assess their oral advocacy.
Offers to successful candidates will be made.
Preparation
Interns will be asked to complete an allocation form to confirm their preferred location of placement and practice areas of interest.
They will be put in touch with their group lead to begin confirming internship dates.
A save the date for the induction day in early June will be sent.
Internship
6-week internships to take place over the summer dates of each internship will be agreed with the intern and their hosts via their group lead.
Closing day
An event to reflect on internships with this year’s cohort and hear from barristers.
