Women in Law Pledge

Targets

Members’ practice issues

To continue monitoring allocation of work opportunities to ensure fair distribution of work in accordance with Chambers’ existing policies;

• To further develop Chambers’ monitoring protocols to enable consideration of whether any issues arise in relation to any gender pay gap, and if so to formulate steps that should be taken to address this. By July 2022 to formalise reporting of any pay gap patterns to Senior Clerk and Head of Chambers[1] (together with work allocation).
• By July 2022 to conduct a review of marketing opportunities to ensure that across the range they ensure fair access to marketing opportunities for female members. This review should be built into Chambers’ monitoring protocols such that it is repeated on a periodic basis.
• By March 2022 to develop and roll out the existing wider mentoring scheme in Chambers to ensure the retention of female members and to support their applications for silk, judicial positions, or other career advancements and to encourage female members to participate.
• On a three year trial to make available “My family care” support resource for those with domestic caring commitments regardless of gender.

Chambers management and staff

• To ensure that Chambers’ management committee is at all times representative of the gender balance of Chambers’ membership.
• To support remote/flexible working for members and staff where it is not incompatible with Chambers’ business needs and requirements.

Recruitment

• To continue to participate in and support initiatives, where appropriate, as part of Chambers’ aim to recruit underrepresented groups both to Fountain Court and the Commercial Bar as a whole. Current initiatives include a mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups created by six leading commercial chambers; Bridging the Bar – a mini-pupillage initiative; the Pathways to Law scheme run by Oxford University; the COMBAR scholarship; and a work experience programme offered to several inner London schools.
• By May 2026 to increase:

1. 1. The proportion of women members in Silk;
   2. The proportion of women members of Chambers.

Work place culture/training

• To hold education sessions on women’s health issues and to encourage attendance by all members and staff regardless of gender.
• To continue to organise equality and diversity training for all members and staff to ensure compliance with all relevant rules and best practice, with particular focus on those who are involved in recruitment.

E&D committee to review these targets annually.