*/
An in-depth inquiry into the background of entrants to the Bar by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury in 2007 produced 57 recommendations amounting to a detailed road-map for the promotion of social mobility. The Bar Council is hard at work implementing those proposals with the whole-hearted cooperation of the Inns of Court, which all student barristers join. Lord Neuberger found that, whilst the Bar has an excellent record on race and gender balance and had already taken significant steps toward greater access to the profession, social background and hence familiarity with the professions remained a significant barrier to entry, along with lack of finance.
The Bar Council's implementation of Lord Neuberger's proposals concentrates on encouraging social mobility at every step in the journey towards a career at the Bar from school, through college and university, to pupillage in chambers and ultimately a seat in chambers. The Chairman of the Bar in 2007, Geoffrey Vos QC, actively promoted the Bar's initiatives, and became Chairman of the Trustees of the Social Mobility Foundation.
In November 2008, the four-part BBC2 series The Barristers followed the progress of five young entrants to the profession and revealed the very diverse social and racial backgrounds from which they came. Commenting on the Government's proposals, Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, said:
"Like all my predecessors as Chairmen, I am determined to promote the Bar as a profession which is both diverse and inclusive. This is
nothing new for the Bar. Any profession which places obstacles in the way of talented aspirants joining its ranks would be undermining its own best interests as well as failing to serve the public. No one should ever be deterred from a career at the Bar by the thought that "it is just not for me". Misconceptions of that sort too easily become self-fulfilling prophecies. The BBC series helped to demolish the myths that exist about the social origins of young barristers these days. There are no quick fixes in this area; only a sustained and integrated approach to implementing Lord Neuberger's initiatives will bring about what the whole profession wants to achieve. The process of ensuring diversity at the Bar needs to start at school and continue all the way to appointment to the Bench. It also needs to ensure that young barristers have a proper supply of publicly funded work on which to cut their teeth. The Bar's highly successful annual mock-trial competition for state schools needs to operate in parallel with schemes for experience in barristers' chambers like that run by the Social Mobility Foundation. I know these schemes can work - the 2007 state school student in our chambers has recently won a place at the LSE to read law.
I am delighted that Lord Neuberger and Geoffrey Vos are on the government's panel. No two better qualified people could be found to achieve what we all wish to see. Mr Milburn can be sure that the Bar Council will pull out all the stops to support his objectives. Like him, we wish to unleash aspiration.”
In November 2008, the four-part BBC2 series The Barristers followed the progress of five young entrants to the profession and revealed the very diverse social and racial backgrounds from which they came. Commenting on the Government's proposals, Desmond Browne QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, said:
"Like all my predecessors as Chairmen, I am determined to promote the Bar as a profession which is both diverse and inclusive. This is
nothing new for the Bar. Any profession which places obstacles in the way of talented aspirants joining its ranks would be undermining its own best interests as well as failing to serve the public. No one should ever be deterred from a career at the Bar by the thought that "it is just not for me". Misconceptions of that sort too easily become self-fulfilling prophecies. The BBC series helped to demolish the myths that exist about the social origins of young barristers these days. There are no quick fixes in this area; only a sustained and integrated approach to implementing Lord Neuberger's initiatives will bring about what the whole profession wants to achieve. The process of ensuring diversity at the Bar needs to start at school and continue all the way to appointment to the Bench. It also needs to ensure that young barristers have a proper supply of publicly funded work on which to cut their teeth. The Bar's highly successful annual mock-trial competition for state schools needs to operate in parallel with schemes for experience in barristers' chambers like that run by the Social Mobility Foundation. I know these schemes can work - the 2007 state school student in our chambers has recently won a place at the LSE to read law.
I am delighted that Lord Neuberger and Geoffrey Vos are on the government's panel. No two better qualified people could be found to achieve what we all wish to see. Mr Milburn can be sure that the Bar Council will pull out all the stops to support his objectives. Like him, we wish to unleash aspiration.”
An in-depth inquiry into the background of entrants to the Bar by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury in 2007 produced 57 recommendations amounting to a detailed road-map for the promotion of social mobility. The Bar Council is hard at work implementing those proposals with the whole-hearted cooperation of the Inns of Court, which all student barristers join. Lord Neuberger found that, whilst the Bar has an excellent record on race and gender balance and had already taken significant steps toward greater access to the profession, social background and hence familiarity with the professions remained a significant barrier to entry, along with lack of finance.
The Bar Council's implementation of Lord Neuberger's proposals concentrates on encouraging social mobility at every step in the journey towards a career at the Bar from school, through college and university, to pupillage in chambers and ultimately a seat in chambers. The Chairman of the Bar in 2007, Geoffrey Vos QC, actively promoted the Bar's initiatives, and became Chairman of the Trustees of the Social Mobility Foundation.
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
