Work is ongoing to improve diversity at the Bar, says Sam Mercer
A more diverse Bar not only creates a legal profession that reflects the society that barristers serve, giving it legitimacy, but also ensures we select the best talent needed for the Bar from the widest possible pool. There is little sense in limiting the search for top Bar talent of the future to a small, select group. Gender, race, sexuality and social mobility factors should not be a bar on the Bar.
These factors are what drives the work of the Bar Council and its Equality and Diversity Committee and what have been the motivating factors behind a number Bar Council of initiatives, including the Bar Mentoring Service, Bar Placement Week, which won a coveted Halsbury Legal Award last year, and the Bar Nursery to name a few.
That’s not to say our work is done. While there are some good news stories in terms of accessing the Bar, we are not at the point where we can say the Bar of England &
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