COMBAR Mentoring Scheme for Under-Represented Groups

Date: 27 May 2022

Keating Chambers is delighted to participate in the COMBAR Mentoring Scheme for Under-Represented Groups 

Keating Chambers is delighted to be participating in COMBAR’s inaugural mentoring scheme for applicants from groups who are under-represented at the Bar, and the Commercial Bar in particular.  The scheme is an important part of COMBAR’s and Keating Chambers’ commitment to improving access and diversity in the legal profession.

Alexander Nissen QC (Head of Chambers) and Lucy Garrett QC (Head of Pupillage Committee) said of the scheme: “We are delighted to continue to be part of this scheme, which is being taken forward by COMBAR from 2022, to increase the number of barristers from underrepresented groups in practice at the Bar, and in particular the commercial Bar.  Keating is committed to welcoming all candidates, whatever their race, culture, disabilities, gender (if any) and socio-economic background.  If you are wondering if a career at the commercial Bar is for you, please do apply to this scheme.  We are looking forward to getting to know you better.”  

The scheme pairs successful eligible candidates with practitioners for a series of one-to-one mentoring sessions.  COMBAR also hopes to organise a pupillage interview and application workshop and a social event, to which all mentors and mentees will be invited, in early 2023.

In order to ensure that as diverse a pool of potential applicants is reached as possible, COMBAR will advertise the scheme through the careers departments of all English and Welsh universities with a law department, together with a number of universities in Scotland and Ireland, third sector organisations such as the Social Mobility Foundation and Sutton Trust, and commercial publications such as Legal Cheek.

Applicants will be assessed by reference to their need for mentoring and their potential to pursue a career at the Bar.  A deliberate decision has been taken to give equal weighting to both of these criteria to help ensure that the scheme reaches talented applicants from the most under-represented communities who would benefit most from mentoring and guidance.

The 2022 scheme has now closed but details of the 2023 scheme can be found at COMBAR Student Mentoring Scheme and Support – Combar

 

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