The Bar Diversity Hub
Creating Opportunities through Innovation Fellowships (COLIF)
Alex Batesmith (School of Law, University of Leeds)
This Fellowship builds on empirical research from 2024 examining equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) among barristers and aspiring barristers within the Northeastern Circuit (NEC). Students, barristers, judges, regulators, third sector organisations, regional universities and EDI experts engaged with the research findings and endorsed the need for a collaborative initiative to develop sustainable EDI strategies within the NEC. This fellowship aims to formalise and expand that initiative into a structured, multi-stakeholder platform for ongoing collaboration and impact under the banner of a Bar Diversity Hub.
The Bar Diversity Hub will serve as a regional EDI knowledge-sharing and support network, bringing together barristers, judges, regulators (the Bar Council and Inns of Court), regional universities, and third-sector organizations. Its objectives are to broaden access to the Bar for under-represented groups, enhance inclusion and career progression, and implement long-term, systemic change within the NEC. Key activities include establishing a Working Group to lead EDI initiatives, launching an online platform for best practices and resources within the existing NEC website, conducting regional outreach in schools and universities, developing a mentoring programme, organising EDI training for barristers and chambers, and engaging the profession and the public more broadly through conferences and publications.
By embedding EDI initiatives within the NEC’s existing framework, the Bar Diversity Hub will create a sustainable model for increasing diversity and inclusion at the Bar. The expected impact includes greater representation within the regional legal profession, improved inclusivity within barristers’ chambers, and enhanced public confidence in the accessibility and fairness of the legal system. Through collaborative leadership, strategic engagement, and practical interventions, the project will ensure long-term structural improvements in diversity and inclusion within the NEC and beyond.
