We have adopted a specialist team approach to our practices for many years. We feel that this is the way our clients want us to work, and that specialisation leads to the provision of a better service.
We have adopted a specialist team approach to our practices for many years. We feel that this is the way our clients want us to work, and that specialisation leads to the provision of a better service.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Our selection process for pupillage is rigorous and fair and complies in all respects with the Bar Standards Board Pupillage Handbook and the Fair Recruitment Guide. We select pupils on ability and potential alone, and we are committed to ensuring that candidates are assessed in an objective, non-discriminatory way, with protected characteristics such as race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability having no relevance whatsoever to our selection criteria or scoring methods.
We are mindful of the financial difficulties faced by many at the start of their careers and therefore offer a generous pupillage award and guaranteed earnings in pupils’ second six. Some of the award may be drawn down during the Bar training course, if required. We strongly believe that financial pressures should never be a bar to entering this profession. More details about pupillage at Guildhall Chambers can be found here.
With regard to mini-pupillages, Guildhall Chambers is proud to have committed to the Western Circuit’s Bar None initiative, whereby at least 50% of mini pupillages will be offered to BAME and state school applicants, with the aim of encouraging applications from under-represented groups. To ensure that cost is not a barrier, Chambers has set aside funding to enable those who need support to undertake a mini-pupillage with us, to include reasonable travel and accommodation costs. Successful applicants will be asked about their requirements when they are notified that their application has been successful, and not before. For further details of how to apply for a mini-pupillage at Guildhall Chambers, please click here.
We have also developed a number of initiatives to support new barristers to succeed and indeed thrive post-pupillage, in their early years of practice.
Guildhall Chambers is dedicated to the promotion and advancement of women both in the workplace and specifically at the Bar. We work closely with the Western Circuit Women’s Forum and have robust monitoring systems in place to ensure the fair allocation of work at all levels.
We are delighted to be proud signatories to the Women in Law Pledge created by the Bar Council of England and Wales, The Law Society, and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), which seeks to tackle the issue of women’s equality in the legal profession.
In 2022 Guildhall Chambers published its Race Action Plan, and we have been working since then to meet our stated aims.
We are also working closely with other organisations on improving access to the profession for people from minority ethnic groups and other groups which are under-represented at the Bar. We are proud to participate in both the 10,000 Black Interns scheme and the Bar None initiative, both of which are aimed at promoting equality of access to opportunities at an early stage.
Guildhall Chambers is committed to the fair allocation of work at all levels and to promoting opportunities for career progression for all members and pupils.
Guildhall Chambers is determined to promote a work environment in which everyone is treated equally and with dignity and respect and has the opportunity to flourish.
The Worker Protection Act 2023, effective from 26 October 2024, is an amendment to the existing Equality Act 2010 and introduces a new, positive obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. Harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act, and we maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any type of unlawful harassment.
We have taken this opportunity to review and republish our Anti-Harassment policy and we are also following the EHRC’s 8-step guide for preventing sexual harassment at work.
Guildhall Chambers occupies 2 historic buildings in the old city of Bristol. Despite the challenges we have ensured that Chambers is accessible to those with disabilities, for example by installing a ramp and a lift within our building at 5-8 Broad Street. We are keen to meet the needs of those who visit us so please contact Lucy Northeast ahead of any visit to ask questions or make a request for further reasonable adjustments.
The Bar Standards Board’s Equality and Diversity provisions of the Code of Conduct require each set of Chambers to collect diversity data from barristers and Chambers’ staff, and publish a summary of that data, which you can read by clicking here.
The data is a reflection of the responses received and relates to the make-up of Guildhall Chambers in November 2024. Contributions to the survey were entirely voluntary and not all members and staff took part in the exercise. Every respondent who was considered to be at risk of identification by the publication of this data has expressly consented to the publication of this data.
Guildhall Chambers has 2 experienced and committed Equality and Diversity Officers, who welcome the chance to discuss Chambers’ policy in this area and explore ways in which we can strive to improve.
Please contact one of our Equality and Diversity Officers, Debbie Grennan or Jenny Tallentire, if you have questions or ideas.
A member of the clerking team will help you resolve your request.
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