The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a report on barristers’ income by gender and ethnicity. This follows our previous research report on income at the Bar published in February 2022 and seeks to look at what has happened to barristers’ incomes over the last three years. It examines differences in earnings of barristers by ethnicity and gender, and by their seniority, status, region and practice area.
The report shows that that female barristers and barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds are likely to earn less than White and male barristers, respectively. This holds true when looking at employed barristers, self-employed barristers, KCs, and barristers based inside and outside London. Even when comparing barristers with the same main area of practice and seniority by year of Call, female barristers and barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds still earn less on average than equivalent male and White barristers.
When looking at income disparities across the profession the report finds:
- Overall, average incomes for women are 57% of those of men, whereas average incomes for barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds are 74% of those of White barristers.
- Female barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds are the lowest earning group, with average incomes 47% of those of White male barristers, who are the highest earning group when looking at the profession as a whole.
- There are also differences in the income of barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds, with Black and Black British barristers earning less than Asian and Asian British barristers overall.
- Differences by gender and ethnicity in barristers’ incomes were smaller at the employed Bar than at the self-employed Bar, and smaller for barristers based outside of London than those based in London.
When looking at income trends over time:
- Comparing incomes between 2021/22 and 2023/24, all groups analysed saw an increase in income.
- However, median income differences increased for both female barristers and barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds compared to male and White barristers, respectively.
- Female barristers’ median income fell from 71% to 70% of their male counterparts over this period, whereas for barristers from minority backgrounds their median income fell from 71% of White barristers to 69%.
- Although mean income gaps have narrowed, this was driven by income increases among the highest earning female and ethnic minority barristers, while for the majority their income has grown less than male and White barristers.
The Bar Council’s working lives report shows that female barristers are more likely to work part-time (14%) than male barristers (8%). This suggests that working patterns may explain some of the gender income gap, but are unlikely to be a factor in explaining the income gaps by ethnicity.
Mark Neale, Director General, The Bar Standards Board said:
“These new data show that income disparities remain and are getting worse at the Bar. Female barristers and barristers from minoritised backgrounds earn less on average than their White male counterparts even when allowing for specialism, seniority and geography, with income disparities particularly stark when comparing female barristers from minority ethnic backgrounds with White male barristers.
We remain determined to see a step change in progress and will work with the Bar to promote equality of opportunity. We are consulting on a new strategy in the autumn and we will be engaging stakeholders specifically on how we can support chambers and employers to monitor the distribution of work and act to address unequal chances to progress”