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One in five employed barristers and more than one in ten at the self-employed Bar have been harassed or bullied at work, according to a Bar Council report.
Barristers’ Working Lives 2017: Harassment and bullying revealed that 21% of employed and 12% of self-employed barristers reported being harassed or bullied at work in the two years prior to the survey, up from 3% at the employed Bar and 5% at the self-employed Bar in 2013.
Almost a third of employed barristers and 17% of self-employed barristers said they had observed harassment or bullying of others, an increase of 9% and 8% respectively from 2013.
Reports of discrimination were also up, with 16% of employed and 13% of self-employed respondents stating that they had personally experienced discrimination and 20% and 15% respectively saying they had witnessed it.
Fellow barristers were most commonly cited as being responsible, accounting for around half of all acts of bullying, harassment or discrimination.
The report showed that harassment, bullying and discrimination was worst at the criminal Bar and the most common form was based on gender, accounting for 53% of instances, while 16% was based on ethnicity.
Bar Chair Andrew Walker QC said: ‘The results are a cause for concern and cannot be ignored. As a profession, we must do much better. We do not and will not tolerate harassment and bullying at the Bar.’
The Bar Council offers a confidential helpline, training and other support to individuals and chambers and has published a work programme to tackle the problem. It is also working with the Bar Standards Board to ensure rules about reporting encourage chambers and others to address unacceptable behaviour. See here for more information.
See analysis in next issue.
One in five employed barristers and more than one in ten at the self-employed Bar have been harassed or bullied at work, according to a Bar Council report.
Barristers’ Working Lives 2017: Harassment and bullying revealed that 21% of employed and 12% of self-employed barristers reported being harassed or bullied at work in the two years prior to the survey, up from 3% at the employed Bar and 5% at the self-employed Bar in 2013.
Almost a third of employed barristers and 17% of self-employed barristers said they had observed harassment or bullying of others, an increase of 9% and 8% respectively from 2013.
Reports of discrimination were also up, with 16% of employed and 13% of self-employed respondents stating that they had personally experienced discrimination and 20% and 15% respectively saying they had witnessed it.
Fellow barristers were most commonly cited as being responsible, accounting for around half of all acts of bullying, harassment or discrimination.
The report showed that harassment, bullying and discrimination was worst at the criminal Bar and the most common form was based on gender, accounting for 53% of instances, while 16% was based on ethnicity.
Bar Chair Andrew Walker QC said: ‘The results are a cause for concern and cannot be ignored. As a profession, we must do much better. We do not and will not tolerate harassment and bullying at the Bar.’
The Bar Council offers a confidential helpline, training and other support to individuals and chambers and has published a work programme to tackle the problem. It is also working with the Bar Standards Board to ensure rules about reporting encourage chambers and others to address unacceptable behaviour. See here for more information.
See analysis in next issue.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
The client’s best interests could be well-served by sharing the advocacy with junior counsel more often than you might think – Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Eves explore some less orthodox ways to divide the speaking role
