The Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee

This information is supplied by the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee. 

The Bar Council, the body that represents around 18,000 barristers in England and Wales, has several committees; one of which is the Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC).

The YBC is the voice of all barristers in the first seven years of their careers, often referred to as the ‘Young Bar’. This year’s chair of the YBC is Lachlan Stewart, a barrister at No5 Chambers. Lachlan is hugely excited to continue the YBC’s work, representing and promoting young barristers’ interests, on everything from career development opportunities, to addressing issues around bullying and fair allocation of work.

Read more about Lachlan’s priorities this year.

What does the YBC do?

For more than 70 years, the YBC and its members have been representing, supporting and helping barristers with their professional development.

Representation

The YBC liaise with stakeholders such as the government to promote barristers’ interests and advocate on their behalf. For example, the YBC was part of the negotiating team that secured an uplift on the Magistrates’ Court Protocol for the Greater London area, and during the pandemic, the YBC was involved in developing the Bar Council’s strategy for pressing the government for financial support.

Support

The YBC provides professional development tools and advice from mental health support to financial assistance to ensure barristers at the early stage of their careers are supported. The YBC often holds events to ensure the young Bar feel supported and know what support is available to them. For example, they host webinars exploring the likes of ethical dilemmas and the issues junior barristers may be confronted with.

The Starting at the Bar guide, written by the young barristers on the YBC for barristers at the beginning of their careers, has all the information newly qualified barristers need, such as how to manage their finances, work allocation and more. For more information on the support available to the young Bar, head over to the Bar Council website.

Help young barristers build a thriving practice

The first seven years as a barrister are crucial, so the YBC is committed to making sure junior barristers are well equipped to master their practice and build a thriving career at the Bar. The YBC holds plenty of events, allowing barristers to network and grow both at home and abroad.

The YBC’s international professional and legal development grants programme offers barristers the chance to apply for funding for overseas programmes, so they can take part in initiatives that offer them a global perspective on legal issues and help them to thrive in an increasingly competitive legal market.

Another of the YBC’s international initiatives is the Anglo-Dutch Exchange, a three-day professional exchange programme with the Netherlands. This opportunity helps young barristers to build professional and personal relationships as well as get their foot in the door of another legal jurisdiction.

Find out more

For more information on the YBC, you can:

• have a look at the Young Bar webpages on the Bar Council website;
• sign up to the Young Bar newsletter for guidance, opportunities, events and more; and
• contact the YBC with any further questions at: [email protected] and follow the YBC on X.