Mini-Pupillage

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We believe that great barristers, great clerks and great staff members can come from all walks of life. We also believe that people perform at their best when they get the support they need.

We seek to implement those values in our working lives in chambers. We respect one another. We strive, wherever we can, to make chambers a positive, inclusive and friendly place. We aim to provide mutual support to help each other whatever our backgrounds, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, physical abilities or gender identity.

We know that the Commercial Bar has a great deal of ground to cover in relation to equality and diversity. We seek to make up that ground wherever we can. We do so by recognising that as different individuals in chambers we need different types of support. Our goal is always to adapt and to find new ways to provide that support; and to take responsibility for promoting diversity and inclusion.

4 New Square Chambers is committed to Equality and Diversity.

We do not discriminate on the grounds of:

• Age;
• Disability;
• Gender reassignment
• Being married or in a civil partnership
• Being pregnant or on maternity leave
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
• Religion or belief (including political belief)
• Sex;
• Sexual orientation;
• Caring responsibilities; or
  Social or economic background.

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination, including direct & indirect discrimination, victimisation and harassment.

Although as a set of Chambers we work together in pursuit of a common purpose, we recognise that it is the contribution which we make as individuals which creates our success. This is the reason that Chambers sets out its policy clearly and adheres to it. We recognise that the provision of equal opportunities in Chambers will help Members of Chambers, pupils and staff to develop their full potential, talent and resources and allow us as an organisation to succeed.

We have a comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy which applies to clients, members of Chambers and members of staff, pupils, mini-pupils, pupillage and tenancy applicants, job applicants, contract workers, agency workers, trainee workers and students on work experience or placements, volunteer workers, former members of Chambers and former members of staff. It sets out the policies which we have adopted in order to comply with the obligations imposed upon us by law, the Bar Code of Conduct and the Attorney General’s Equality and Diversity Expectations Statement.

All members of Chambers and members of staff receive regular equality and diversity training and, additional relevant training is provided to members of Chambers and staff who are involved in recruitment.

We have a parenthood leave policy which gives rent and expenses free periods to primary and secondary carers. We also support flexible working. We have a Fair Access to Work Committee which monitors the allocation of work between members of Chambers.

A number of members of Chambers are actively involved with the Social Mobility Foundation, both as e-mentors and in hosting SMF candidates for placements.

Chambers has 10 Equality and Diversity Officers. They are currently Paul Mitchell QC, Helen Evans QC, Stephen Innes, Shail Patel, Lucy Colter, Marie-Claire O’Kane, Mark Cullen, Diarmuid Laffan, Seohyung Kim and Carola Binney. Together with other appropriate members of Chambers, the Equality and Diversity Officers monitor the effective implementation of the Equality and Diversity Policy and regularly review its effectiveness. Chambers’ Diversity Data Officer is Richard Liddell.