Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Selborne Chambers is committed to equality and diversity in the workplace, with equal opportunity for everyone. We consider it essential that we treat everyone equally and fairly regardless of their age, disability, marital or civil partnership status, political persuasion, pregnancy or maternity, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or gender, identity or expression, sexual orientation or social background.
Read Chambers’ Anti-Racist Statement here.
We encourage and welcome applicants from under-represented groups at the Bar, including women, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and LGBT+ people.
Selborne Chambers is a signatory to the Chancery Bar’s Charter for Fairness to implement fairness in work allocation, career development, marketing and earnings at the Chancery Bar.
We have a number of policies in place to promote equality and diversity:
(i) Equality and Diversity Policy
(iii) Reasonable Adjustments Policy
(vi) Fair Allocation of Work Policy
(vii) Internal Complaints Policy and Procedure
In line with our core values, Selborne Chambers is actively involved in a number of social mobility initiatives. We participate every year in the Bar Council/Social Mobility Project placement scheme which enables sixth form students from disadvantaged backgrounds to see life at the Bar and to encourage them to consider the law as a possible career for them when they might not otherwise do so. We also take part in the Middle Temple/COMBAR placement scheme, which operates on a similar basis for law students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Several members are part of their respective Inn’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Groups/Committees.
We are dedicated to the promotion and advancement of women at the Bar and our members have taken part in previous rounds of the Chancery Bar Association’s “Round Table” discussions regarding women at the Chancery Bar.
We are also proud that many of our members undertake significant amounts of voluntary pro bono work both through and outside Advocate (formerly known as the Bar Pro Bono Unit) and the Chancery Bar Litigant in Person Scheme (CLIPS). We also have a member who sits on the Bar Council’s Pro Bono Board.
We actively support our members and staff in meeting the challenges of demanding work at the Bar. We were delighted to recognised by the Bar Council for our work on wellbeing under the Certificate of Recognition scheme. Selborne Chambers has a Wellbeing Policy and two Wellbeing Representatives. In 2019 and 2020, we had an excellent programme of events to promote wellbeing available to members and staff, and circulated monthly updates with details of external events and resources. Selborne Chambers firmly believes in the value of promoting wellbeing at the Bar, and actively supports its members and staff in meeting the challenges of demanding work.
Selborne Chambers’ premises are compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and we are very willing to make any reasonable adjustment you may need when visiting us: please contact our Equality and Diversity Officer, Daniel Webb (daniel.webb@selbornechambers.co.uk).
Diversity Data
In accordance with the requirements of the Bar Standards Board, Selborne Chambers conducts surveys in order to collect and publish equality and diversity data in respect of its workforce (both barristers and non-barristers). These surveys assist Selborne Chambers in monitoring the success of its equality and diversity policies. Selborne Chambers is also required to publish summaries of the data collected, to help provide transparency in recruitment and encourage diversity in the profession. Chambers has a policy for the collection and retention of diversity data. The latest survey was published in January 2024 and a summary of the data is available here.
