*/
Male barristers still outnumber women by two to one, according to figures released by the Bar Standards Board.
The regulator’s annual Diversity at the Bar report showed that the profession is 63% male and 37% female and still has some way to go before it is fully representative of the public it serves.
Overall the percentage of women increased by 0.5%. While male QCs outnumber their female counterparts, the percentage of female Silks has risen from 13.7% in 2016 to 14.8% in 2017.
The percentage of barristers from an ethnic minority background rose to 12.7%, up by 0.5%, and the percentage in Silk rose by 0.8% to 7.2%.
The gender and ethnic diversity of pupil barristers is roughly in line with the population of England and Wales, with 51.7% of pupils being female and 16.1% being from an ethnic minority background.
The data showed that 12% of barristers went to private school, compared to 7% of the general population. But only 37% of barristers responded to that question, so the true number of those privately educated is likely to be higher.
BSB Director of Strategy and Policy, Ewen MacLeod, said the data showed ‘a steady improvement in gender and ethnic diversity at the Bar, especially in the increase in the number of female QCs’.
But he added: ‘We are conscious that there is more that needs to be done to improve diversity within the profession.’ He urged all barristers to complete the diversity data questions when renewing their practising certificates so that the regulator can act on accurate evidence to improve diversity.
Male barristers still outnumber women by two to one, according to figures released by the Bar Standards Board.
The regulator’s annual Diversity at the Bar report showed that the profession is 63% male and 37% female and still has some way to go before it is fully representative of the public it serves.
Overall the percentage of women increased by 0.5%. While male QCs outnumber their female counterparts, the percentage of female Silks has risen from 13.7% in 2016 to 14.8% in 2017.
The percentage of barristers from an ethnic minority background rose to 12.7%, up by 0.5%, and the percentage in Silk rose by 0.8% to 7.2%.
The gender and ethnic diversity of pupil barristers is roughly in line with the population of England and Wales, with 51.7% of pupils being female and 16.1% being from an ethnic minority background.
The data showed that 12% of barristers went to private school, compared to 7% of the general population. But only 37% of barristers responded to that question, so the true number of those privately educated is likely to be higher.
BSB Director of Strategy and Policy, Ewen MacLeod, said the data showed ‘a steady improvement in gender and ethnic diversity at the Bar, especially in the increase in the number of female QCs’.
But he added: ‘We are conscious that there is more that needs to be done to improve diversity within the profession.’ He urged all barristers to complete the diversity data questions when renewing their practising certificates so that the regulator can act on accurate evidence to improve diversity.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Developing a tech start-up demands a different definition of excellence to the Bar, says Saara Idelbi. The co-creator of Advocatr on entrepreneurship, AI advocacy training, and matching the thrill of a killer cross-examination
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
