One in six young barristers want to quit due to unmanageable workloads and fears report commissioned by the Bar Council has disclosed
‘Life at the Young Bar’, published this week, paints a bleak picture of 14-hour days, ‘deep-rooted’ discrimination against women and practitioners from under-represented backgrounds, and ‘significant’ financial repercussions from the closure of the courts during the pandemic.
The report, which is based on research into barristers with up to seven years’ practice, recommends that work should be allocated more fairly and made more manageable to ‘avoid burnout and the loss of young barristers from the profession’. About one in six told a survey last Spring that they wanted to leave the profession, the report says.
Only about half the barristers surveyed said they believe work is allocated fairly, and many said they ‘desperately’ need their workload reduced. The young barristers were ‘overwhelmingly’ opposed to extended operating hours within courts.
The research found COVID-19’s impact on the finances of young barristers were more significant than on the Bar as a whole.
On discrimination, the findings echoed those from the Bar Council’s report Race at the Bar, published in November 2021. Members of the Young Bar reported other barristers were the most common source of bullying and harassment or discrimination, followed by the judiciary.
The report states: ‘Several participants indicated that some judges were well-known on the circuit for being sexist and/or racist, and that as a young barrister their chambers or other colleagues would try to warn them to expect such an attitude in that particular court.
‘There was the over-riding assumption that judges were in the main old white males. There were also some experiences of discrimination within their own workplaces, either passive or, in a few cases, overt: “[A judge said to me] ‘Could the dark woman speak?’ At that time I cried every evening, I thought about leaving the Bar. I did use the reporting tool but didn’t feel I could raise it directly with the judge because it might hurt my client’s case”.’
Another young barrister confided: ‘It is very male in the criminal Bar, it still feels like a boys’ club, dominated by white privileged men, often kept in the family. It’s the same situation in chambers.’
Michael Polak, Chair of the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee, said: ‘This research should act as a wake-up call for those interested in the future of the profession.
‘It’s clear we need to modernise the way that the Bar operates. Our culture, working practices, and wellbeing must be key themes of the Bar Council’s work on behalf of the Young Bar over the coming year.
‘The report highlights the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with young barristers having experienced adverse changes to their personal finances, relationships with colleagues and overall wellbeing.’
Mark Fenhalls QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said: ‘The Bar Council is committed to improving the working lives of young barristers and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to thrive.
‘Our profession has been ageing rapidly and we can ill-afford to lose the next generation for any reason. The pandemic has increased pressure and stress on everyone, but that is no excuse for unacceptable behaviours.
‘The Bar Council asks every barrister who experiences or witnesses inappropriate behaviour to use the online confidential and anonymous reporting tool ‘Spot’ so that we can take action.’
View the full 58-page report here.
