Bridging the Bar Academy to launch in August

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Bridging the Bar’s (BTB) BTB Academy, which is committed to increasing the equality of access to opportunities in the legal profession across all underrepresented groups, will launch on Monday 1 August 2022.

The academy will enable 100 high-quality candidates to gain access to multiple programmes and training opportunities over the course of the academic year. They will also be supported in developing the skills, tangible experience and mindset required to secure pupillage and succeed at the Bar.

There is a clear disparity at the Bar, with statistics revealing that out of around 17,000 barristers at the Bar of England and Wales, only 3% are Black and only 7% are Asia, while nearly 80% are White. In addition, just 4% are disabled and 3% are from the LGBTQA+ community. The academy aims to support aspiring barristers who, due to their disability, ethnic background, socio-economic background, education or sexuality, belong to groups that are statistically underrepresented in the profession.

Through its work over the past two years, BTB has supported 4,709 candidates via workshops, seminars and work experience. BTB found that where candidates engaged in more than one BTB initiative, the results were exponential with more than 80% of the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) interns who applied for pupillage in 2022 securing pupillage at leading sets.

Olivia Bennet, UKSC intern, secured nine pupillage offers and described her experience as a UKSC intern as “invaluable”. She adds: “Since then, Bridging the Bar has allocated me a mentor at a leading criminal set which is my key practice area of interest and has also provided me with this incredible opportunity to further my criminal advocacy skills with 6KBW.”

Bennet recommends Bridging the Bar for candidates who are underrepresented at the Bar and are keen to further their goal of becoming – “I can’t advocate for them highly enough”, she says.

The BTB Academy has been created with the goal of replicating these success stories on a larger scale. It will see candidates gain access to bespoke advocacy training, pupillage-focused workshops and internship opportunities with the UKSC, Court of Appeal, High Court, Government Legal Department, Advocate and The Law Commission. Following a single application process, candidates who are selected for the academy will also be provided with the knowledge, mindset and tools to feel more confident, recognise their added value and champion diversity within the profession. By focusing its resources on a smaller group, the BTB Academy hopes to maximise its impact.

Candidates who are not selected for the BTB Academy will be given access to general training and seminars led by volunteers.

Applicants have from Monday 1 August 2022 until Friday 26 August 2022 to apply.