Race at the Bar progress report: “the work must not stop here”

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Following last year’s Race at the Bar report, the Bar Council has published an interim report to outline the actions being taken to address race inequality across the Bar.

The new report, Race at the Bar: A progress report, which summarised the responses from 69 chambers and organisations, highlighted that 90% of respondents have introduced one or more of the recommendations from last year’s Race at the Bar report. In addition:

• 83% have taken action to improve access to the Bar.
• 46% have taken action relating to the retention of barristers with an ethnic minority background.
• Nearly 50% took action to support the progress of barristers with an ethnic minority background.
• Just under 80% took action to create a more inclusive culture.

Meanwhile, 33% of the respondents have taken action in all four priority areas outlined in last year’s report (ie, access, retention, progression and culture).

Examples of actions that have been taken over the past year to improve access include targeted work experience or mini-pupillage opportunities, mentoring, outreach in schools and universities and increasing diversity on recruitment panels. Of the chambers involved in the survey, 17 outlined their participation in the 10,000 Black Interns initiative and 12 referenced their work with diversity charity Bridging the Bar.

Actions taken to improve retention included mentoring, monitoring the distribution and allocation of work, wellbeing support and practice reviews; and the most common actions taken to improve progression were income and work distribution monitoring, mentoring, and increasing diversity in leadership roles and committee composition.

Finally, the report indicated that the most common activities introduced for improving culture within chambers were training, policy creation/reviews (eg, bulling and harassment policies), cultural activity (ie, events), awareness raising and wellbeing support. By highlighting these actions in the report, it’s hoped that other Bar-based organisations will take inspiration to make similar moves to address race inequality.

Of those surveyed, just 8.7% said they’d not taken any action over the past year. That said, this figure is expected to be higher across the Bar with it being likely that respondents took the chance to report on their successes instead.

A lack of people and time were reported as key challenges in tackling race inequality, while 10% cited a lack of enthusiasm as a challenge. Collaboration with other sets, the circuits, specialist Bar associations and other organisations was highlighted as a useful tool in supporting more action.

Barbara Mills KC and Simon Regis, co-chairs of the Bar Council Race Working Group said: “Our Race at the Bar report found that barristers from ethnic minority backgrounds face systemic obstacles to building and progressing a career at the Bar. That’s why we need everyone to take action – to open up access, to support retention and progression, and to change the culture at the Bar.

“There is much to celebrate in this interim progress report and some great examples of good practice, but there’s a whole lot more to be done. Action so far has focused on access to the profession, but we will be failing if we don’t simultaneously ensure all ethnic minority barristers have equal access to quality work, progression opportunities and an environment free from discrimination.”

Mark Fenhalls KC, chair of the Bar, said: “This interim progress report shows just how seriously the Bar has taken the clear message of the Race at the Bar report that action needs to happen at every level.

“We know how busy chambers and individuals have been over the last year so it’s very positive to see that 90% of respondents have taken forward at least one recommendation. But the work must not stop here.

“We want those who have taken action to help spread their good practice to support and collaborate with others. And we want those who haven’t yet started to pick just one or two actions. The Bar Council is here to support chambers, organisations and individuals with information, training, and advice.”