Bar Co extends placement week to Liverpool, while cost to qualify is estimated at £127,000
updated on 04 March 2016
The Bar Council has extended its outreach programme, the Bar Placement Week, to Liverpool. It has been running in London for eight years, as well as in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Leeds for shorter periods.
The aim of the programme is to open access to the profession by giving sixth-form students from under-represented backgrounds the chance to gain insight into what life as a barrister is like. The week-long scheme includes careers talks, advocacy training, a talk with a local judge, and three days shadowing a barrister in court and in his/her chambers.
Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, said: “The Bar is a small and specialist profession and opportunities to gain career experience like this can be few and far between - especially outside of London. I am delighted to see barristers giving up their time to offer students this unique opportunity. Extending the reach of Bar Placement Week can help open the way for students who may not have considered a career as a barrister. This initiative is about widening the talent pool and showing those with potential, irrespective of their background, what it means to be a barrister. For all we know, the QC’s of tomorrow could be amongst those taking part in this programme.”
In related news, Doerries has highlighted that for many, the cost of qualifying at the Bar – estimated to be approximately £127,000 – may be yet another factor in limiting the range of people able to pursue the career. Reported in the Guardian, she said: “The cost of qualifying creates a huge social mobility challenge, which is why we have developed initiatives such as Bar Placement Week and mentoring programmes to encourage able students from non-privileged backgrounds to set their sights on a career at the bar.”
The figure of £127,000 is based on a student studying a three-year non-law undergraduate degree, the GDL and the BPTC, all in London. It also includes accommodation and living costs. Outside of London, the figure is closer to £111,000.
