Mentoring Scheme for Underrepresented Groups at the Bar

10/11/21

Brick Court Chambers is delighted to announce that the ten sets of chambers participating in the Mentoring Scheme for underrepresented groups have, between them, offered places on the scheme to nearly 200 applicants from groups that are underrepresented at the Bar. 

The scheme will make a real contribution to increasing opportunity and diversity at the Bar, by providing mentees with a source of information and advice, and by making it clear that a career at the Bar is open to anyone, from any background.

 More details about the scheme are here.

 It is open to people from underrepresented groups including women; people from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with disabilities; LGBT+ people; people who spent time in care; and people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. 

 The participating sets of chambers are:

• Blackstone Chambers
• Brick Court Chambers
• Essex Court Chambers
• Fountain Court Chambers
• Gatehouse Chambers
• Keating Chambers
• 7 King’s Bench Walk
• Monckton Chambers
• One Essex Court 
• 3 Verulam Buildings

Sarah Abram from Brick Court, who is a member of the committee that has been working to set up the mentoring scheme, comments that “We were delighted to expand the scheme to four more sets this year, and doing so has enabled us to offer places to many more applicants.  Last year – which was the first year of the scheme – just under 150 people from groups who are underrepresented at the Commercial Bar were mentored by practising barristers.  This year we’ve expanded the numbers by about a third, to just under 200.  We know from last year’s mentees that they found the scheme incredibly useful, both as a source of practical information about becoming a barrister and also to get more information about what being a barrister involves.  We hope that this year’s mentees will find it just as useful, and we’re looking forward to working with them all.”