Chambers is a remarkably welcoming, tolerant and diverse workplace. The membership of Chambers is both balanced and diverse in terms of the members’ age, gender, race, parental status, and social background.
We have a strong track record in recruiting both pupils and established practitioners in search of those qualities, which has created great loyalty and cohesion among members of Chambers.
The Head of Chambers is a Muslim woman of Pakistani heritage, who joined Chambers as a third six pupil in 1988.
Chambers has 38 tenants and two pupils. Twenty-one (52.5%) are female and sixteen (40%) male. Three (7.5%) preferred not to say.
Twenty-nine ( 72.5%) are White and eight ( 20%) from a Black / Asian / Mixed background. Three (7.5%) preferred not to say.
We are proud of the diverse social, religious and cultural backgrounds of our members. Eleven of our barrister members and one of our clerks are working primary carers. A healthy proportion of our members were in the first generation of their family to attend university and many attended state schools in the UK. We have a number of tenants who were mature entrants to the profession and recognise that the skills and attributes leading to a successful career at the Bar can be developed in many different ways.
Of our twelve most junior members (called to the Bar since 2013) two are male and eight female; two prefer not to say. The racial heritage of the twelve is : five White (42%) ; five Black / Asian / Mixed (42%); two (16%) prefer not to say.
Seven were previously pupils in chambers, one joined from the solicitors’ profession, two joined from another chambers as established tenants and two are currently pupils.
Fourteen established practitioners have been recruited to chambers since 2012, of whom seven (50%) are female and six (43%) male. One (7%) preferred not to say. Their racial heritage is: nine (64%) White; four (29%) Black / Asian; one (7%) preferred not to say.
We have recruited nine pupils since 2012 (some ‘third six’, some through our pupillage recruitment programme). Seven of the pupils were female, and one male. One preferred not to say. Eight of the pupils were offered tenancy in Chambers at the end of their pupillage. Their racial heritage is: five (56%) White; three Black / Asian (33%) ; one (7%) preferred not to say.
Chambers has a comprehensive Equality & Diversity Policy, which was most recently updated by the modification of the parental leave and flexible working policies, and firmly supports the Family Law Bar Association’s Anti-Racist Statement 2022.