*/
Every set of barristers’ chambers would need to gather and publish statistics on the diversity of their members and staff, under new Legal Services Board (“LSB”) proposals.
Barristers, clerks and all chambers’ employees would be asked questions relevant to the new public sector equality duty – age, race, disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment, sex, pregnancy and maternity and sexual orientation – plus socio-economic background.
Participation would be voluntary and anonymous. Chambers would be required to publish the results and report it to the Bar Standards Board, even where there is no response or the response is “prefer not to say”.
The new duty would apply to all regulated legal services providers.
The LSB believes publishing the results will create competitive pressure among chambers and other providers to take action to increase diversity, and give regulators a clearer picture of levels of diversity and the success or otherwise of diversity initiatives such as the Bar Council’s mentoring and outreach programmes.
LSB Chairman, David Edmonds, said: “Through these measures there will be greater transparency and sharper scrutiny by regulators and consumers based on published data.
“Appropriate policies can then be developed on the basis of the evidence we collect.”
The consultation, “Increasing diversity and social mobility in the legal workforce: transparency and evidence”, closes on 9 March 2011.
Barristers, clerks and all chambers’ employees would be asked questions relevant to the new public sector equality duty – age, race, disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment, sex, pregnancy and maternity and sexual orientation – plus socio-economic background.
Participation would be voluntary and anonymous. Chambers would be required to publish the results and report it to the Bar Standards Board, even where there is no response or the response is “prefer not to say”.
The new duty would apply to all regulated legal services providers.
The LSB believes publishing the results will create competitive pressure among chambers and other providers to take action to increase diversity, and give regulators a clearer picture of levels of diversity and the success or otherwise of diversity initiatives such as the Bar Council’s mentoring and outreach programmes.
LSB Chairman, David Edmonds, said: “Through these measures there will be greater transparency and sharper scrutiny by regulators and consumers based on published data.
“Appropriate policies can then be developed on the basis of the evidence we collect.”
The consultation, “Increasing diversity and social mobility in the legal workforce: transparency and evidence”, closes on 9 March 2011.
Every set of barristers’ chambers would need to gather and publish statistics on the diversity of their members and staff, under new Legal Services Board (“LSB”) proposals.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Examined by Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
Time is precious for barristers. Every moment spent chasing paperwork, organising diaries, or managing admin is time taken away from what matters most: preparation, advocacy and your clients. That’s where Eden Assistants step in
AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, outlines why barristers, solicitors, judges, social workers and local authorities across the UK trust AlphaBiolabs for court-admissible testing
Through small but meaningful efforts, we can restore the sense of collegiality that has been so sorely eroded, says Baldip Singh
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Looking to develop a specialist practice? Mariya Peykova discusses the benefits of secondments and her placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office
Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...
Review by Stephen Cragg KC
