The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today launched a public consultation on new rules to promote equality, diversity and inclusion at the Bar. Despite improvements in diversity in recent years, there remain significant challenges for the Bar in promoting access to the profession, in retaining qualified practitioners and in addressing bullying, discrimination and harassment. The regulator is therefore asking for a further step change in the profession’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
The consultation document seeks views on a number of proposals. In particular, a change to Core Duty 8 would place a positive obligation on barristers to “act in a way that advances equality, diversity, and inclusion” when providing legal services, The BSB also proposes to take a more outcomes foc...