Brick Court Chambers works with nine other sets on mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups at the Bar

23/07/21

Brick Court Chambers is delighted to announce that the mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups at the Bar has expanded to include four more sets of chambers for 2021-22.

The purpose of the scheme is to support and encourage individuals from groups which are underrepresented at the Bar of England and Wales (and in particular the commercial bar) to pursue careers as barristers.  Those underrepresented groups include women; people from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with disabilities; LGBT+ people; people who spent time in care; and people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

In the scheme’s first year, over 400 applications were received and 150 mentees were matched with mentors.  Following the expansion of the scheme, the participating sets are now (in alphabetical order):

• Blackstone Chambers
• Brick Court Chambers
• Essex Court Chambers
• Fountain Court Chambers
• Gatehouse Chambers
• Keating Chambers
• 7 King’s Bench Walk
• Monckton Chambers
• One Essex Court 
• 3 Verulam Buildings

The scheme will run between October 2021 and May 2022. It is open to all undergraduates and graduates from groups that are underrepresented at the Bar of England and Wales (and in particular the commercial bar) and who do not yet have a pupillage offer.

Successful applicants to join the scheme will be allocated a mentor, who will be a member of one of the participating sets of chambers. As part of the scheme, mentees will be offered:

• Between three and five one-on-one meetings with their mentor.
• A workshop on applications for pupillage.
• Subject to developments in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, one or more social events for mentors, mentees and members of the participating sets of chambers.

Sarah Abram from Brick Court, who is a member of the committee that has been working to set up the mentoring scheme, comments that “We’re so pleased that another four sets are joining the scheme for next year, because we are hoping it will enable us to match more mentees with mentors, and contribute to making a career at the Bar accessible to all, regardless of who you are or where you are from.”

Applications to participate in the scheme are now open, and will close at midday on 20 September 2021. 

Further information on the scheme, including the application form, is here.