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Two years after publication of Lord Neuberger’s Entry to the Bar Working Party Report, the Bar Council launched “No bar to the Bar: barristers promoting social mobility”, a brochure setting out the work done by the Bar in this area and the initiatives developed since the Neuberger Report, writes Bhavna Patel.
At an event held to mark the occasion on 2 December 2009 at Inner Temple, David Lammy MP, Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, commended the Bar for the huge strides it has made in this area.
Vivian Robinson QC, Treasurer of Inner Temple, and Desmond Browne QC, then Chairman of the Bar Council, stressed that the Bar Council, the Inns, the Circuits and the Specialist Bar Associations have worked together to make the various initiatives successful and that the Bar was not now resting on its laurels. Much work still needed to be done, as well as developing current initiatives such as the Bar Council’s chambers placement scheme (run with the Social Mobility Foundation and supported by the Inns of Court), Inner Temple’s schools project (run in collaboration with the National Education Trust) as well as the Bar Mock Trial Competition and the “Speak Up for Others – a Career as a Barrister” scheme.
Duncan Matthews QC, Chairman of the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group, said that the Bar has long recognised that recruitment on merit alone is the right approach and this is for two key reasons:
He added that Neuberger was not the first attempt by the Bar to grapple with the problem of ensuring that merit was the key feature in recruitment but the previous attempts tended to focus directly on entry and searched for one solution. The Neuberger Report was ground-breaking because it recognised that there was not one simple solution and the focus had to be much wider than simply the point of entry.
David Johnston, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, emphasised the important role played by the Bar in its internship programme and how it has helped to bring other professions on board.
Two students who took part in Inner Temple’s schools project spoke enthusiastically about how a new world of opportunities had been opened to them which they would not otherwise have encountered and which gave them a new sense of self-belief.
David Lammy MP ended the session by praising the initiatives that the Bar has put in place and emphasising the importance of continuing this work.
A copy of “No bar to the Bar: barristers promoting social mobility” is available from the Bar Council (e-mail: mbooker@barcouncil.org.uk) or visit: www.barcouncil.org.uk/assets/documents/No%20bar%20to%20the%20Bar%20final.
Bhavna Patel is the Bar Council Professional Practice and Training Manager
Vivian Robinson QC, Treasurer of Inner Temple, and Desmond Browne QC, then Chairman of the Bar Council, stressed that the Bar Council, the Inns, the Circuits and the Specialist Bar Associations have worked together to make the various initiatives successful and that the Bar was not now resting on its laurels. Much work still needed to be done, as well as developing current initiatives such as the Bar Council’s chambers placement scheme (run with the Social Mobility Foundation and supported by the Inns of Court), Inner Temple’s schools project (run in collaboration with the National Education Trust) as well as the Bar Mock Trial Competition and the “Speak Up for Others – a Career as a Barrister” scheme.
Duncan Matthews QC, Chairman of the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group, said that the Bar has long recognised that recruitment on merit alone is the right approach and this is for two key reasons:
He added that Neuberger was not the first attempt by the Bar to grapple with the problem of ensuring that merit was the key feature in recruitment but the previous attempts tended to focus directly on entry and searched for one solution. The Neuberger Report was ground-breaking because it recognised that there was not one simple solution and the focus had to be much wider than simply the point of entry.
David Johnston, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, emphasised the important role played by the Bar in its internship programme and how it has helped to bring other professions on board.
Two students who took part in Inner Temple’s schools project spoke enthusiastically about how a new world of opportunities had been opened to them which they would not otherwise have encountered and which gave them a new sense of self-belief.
David Lammy MP ended the session by praising the initiatives that the Bar has put in place and emphasising the importance of continuing this work.
A copy of “No bar to the Bar: barristers promoting social mobility” is available from the Bar Council (e-mail: mbooker@barcouncil.org.uk) or visit: www.barcouncil.org.uk/assets/documents/No%20bar%20to%20the%20Bar%20final.
Bhavna Patel is the Bar Council Professional Practice and Training Manager
Two years after publication of Lord Neuberger’s Entry to the Bar Working Party Report, the Bar Council launched “No bar to the Bar: barristers promoting social mobility”, a brochure setting out the work done by the Bar in this area and the initiatives developed since the Neuberger Report, writes Bhavna Patel.
At an event held to mark the occasion on 2 December 2009 at Inner Temple, David Lammy MP, Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, commended the Bar for the huge strides it has made in this area.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
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Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
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Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
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Thomas Roe KC and Andrew O’Kola respond to an article by Dr Leonardo Raznovich (Counsel , October 2025) – ‘Privy Council colonialism? Piercing the constitutional veil’
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
