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When it comes to encouraging future talent, regardless of background, the Bar is ahead of the times, writes Duncan Matthews QC, in his update on Neuberger implementation.
The Government White Paper New Opportunities—Fair Chances for the Future is welcome. Even more welcome is the establishment at the same time of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions. The panel includes Lord Neuberger and former Bar Chairman Geoffrey Vos QC, in his capacity as Chairman of the Social Mobility Foundation—two of the key architects of the Bar’s own work in this area.
The Bar has long recognised that entry to the profession must be characterised by fairness. We were the first profession to introduce an equality and diversity code, in 1995, and we have seen huge improvements. Women now form 50% or more of entrants, and black and minority ethnic (BME) barristers constitute about 20%, against a national figure of 7%. The need for more work in the area of socio-economic background resulted in the Neuberger Working Party, which reported in November 2007 with 57 recommendations which would enhance the recruitment of the most talented, regardless of background.
Determined that the recommendations would not gather dust, the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group (NMIG) was created in early 2008. The NMIG is tasked with co-ordinating the implementation of the Neuberger recommendations and in evolving further recommendations.
The NMIG is split into sub-groups and works through other key entities in the process of implementation. One of its first steps was to put into the public domain a record of progress in implementation; accessible, along with the Neuberger report, at www.barcouncil.org.uk/news/NeubergerMonitoringandImplementationGroup. The publication of progress was an act of confidence in the Bar’s ability to make progress. Substantial headway has already been made in the schools, universities and BVC stages, which this article summarises.
School initiatives
One of the major innovations of the Neuberger Working Party was to recognise that to be effective these initiatives have to start with schools. Recommendations 1–7 were designed to target the intellectual cream of socio-economically disadvantaged school children, for many of whom the Bar might appear an alien and remote world.
Following changes to the style of career searching, the Bar Council and the Inns’ websites have been re-drafted in order to ensure that these key information sites rate highly on internet search pages.
The absence of a recruitment DVD for the university level is another hole in our recruitment armoury, which the Bar Council is working hard and urgently to fill, with financial support from the Inns.
Retention
The EDC is doing valuable work in this area and is better informed with the benefit of the ERS Survey of Barristers Changing Practice Status 2008, the results of which have just been published. Retaining the current levels of diversity among those entering the profession is a priority. The exit survey identifies both child care and earnings levels as key factors in decisions to leave self-employed practice. Women cite managing caring responsibilities more than men but, because women and BME practitioners are well represented in publicly funded areas of practice, they have been most affected by changes to legal aid funding.
Following a roundtable discussion on “lifting the glass ceiling” led by last year’s Bar Chairman, Tim Dutton QC, an action plan has been agreed. It includes: giving wider recognition to the loss of talent to the profession from this drop out; diversity training for the profession and clerks to focus on equality of opportunity in career development; an annual course to assist those returning to practice; good practice checklists on maternity leave and career breaks for barristers and their clerks; continuing Bar Council support to the Bar Nursery Association so that it can offer flexible child care to meet the practice needs of barristers; and clear guidelines in the revised Equality and Diversity Code on minimum maternity leave and rent free periods from chambers.
Ahead of the times
The Bar’s response to Neuberger has been encouraging. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to this process. As we support the Government’s efforts and those of the Panel on Fair Access, it will not be from a standing start.
Duncan Matthews QC is Chairman of the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group
Determined that the recommendations would not gather dust, the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group (NMIG) was created in early 2008. The NMIG is tasked with co-ordinating the implementation of the Neuberger recommendations and in evolving further recommendations.
The NMIG is split into sub-groups and works through other key entities in the process of implementation. One of its first steps was to put into the public domain a record of progress in implementation; accessible, along with the Neuberger report, at www.barcouncil.org.uk/news/NeubergerMonitoringandImplementationGroup. The publication of progress was an act of confidence in the Bar’s ability to make progress. Substantial headway has already been made in the schools, universities and BVC stages, which this article summarises.
School initiatives
One of the major innovations of the Neuberger Working Party was to recognise that to be effective these initiatives have to start with schools. Recommendations 1–7 were designed to target the intellectual cream of socio-economically disadvantaged school children, for many of whom the Bar might appear an alien and remote world.
Following changes to the style of career searching, the Bar Council and the Inns’ websites have been re-drafted in order to ensure that these key information sites rate highly on internet search pages.
The absence of a recruitment DVD for the university level is another hole in our recruitment armoury, which the Bar Council is working hard and urgently to fill, with financial support from the Inns.
Retention
The EDC is doing valuable work in this area and is better informed with the benefit of the ERS Survey of Barristers Changing Practice Status 2008, the results of which have just been published. Retaining the current levels of diversity among those entering the profession is a priority. The exit survey identifies both child care and earnings levels as key factors in decisions to leave self-employed practice. Women cite managing caring responsibilities more than men but, because women and BME practitioners are well represented in publicly funded areas of practice, they have been most affected by changes to legal aid funding.
Following a roundtable discussion on “lifting the glass ceiling” led by last year’s Bar Chairman, Tim Dutton QC, an action plan has been agreed. It includes: giving wider recognition to the loss of talent to the profession from this drop out; diversity training for the profession and clerks to focus on equality of opportunity in career development; an annual course to assist those returning to practice; good practice checklists on maternity leave and career breaks for barristers and their clerks; continuing Bar Council support to the Bar Nursery Association so that it can offer flexible child care to meet the practice needs of barristers; and clear guidelines in the revised Equality and Diversity Code on minimum maternity leave and rent free periods from chambers.
Ahead of the times
The Bar’s response to Neuberger has been encouraging. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to this process. As we support the Government’s efforts and those of the Panel on Fair Access, it will not be from a standing start.
Duncan Matthews QC is Chairman of the Neuberger Monitoring and Implementation Group
When it comes to encouraging future talent, regardless of background, the Bar is ahead of the times, writes Duncan Matthews QC, in his update on Neuberger implementation.
The Government White Paper New Opportunities—Fair Chances for the Future is welcome. Even more welcome is the establishment at the same time of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions. The panel includes Lord Neuberger and former Bar Chairman Geoffrey Vos QC, in his capacity as Chairman of the Social Mobility Foundation—two of the key architects of the Bar’s own work in this area.
The Bar has long recognised that entry to the profession must be characterised by fairness. We were the first profession to introduce an equality and diversity code, in 1995, and we have seen huge improvements. Women now form 50% or more of entrants, and black and minority ethnic (BME) barristers constitute about 20%, against a national figure of 7%. The need for more work in the area of socio-economic background resulted in the Neuberger Working Party, which reported in November 2007 with 57 recommendations which would enhance the recruitment of the most talented, regardless of background.
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