In the October 2022 edition of The Barrister, I wrote about the role mentoring could play in widening access to the profession to groups currently underrepresented at the Bar. It is hard, if not impossible, to know whether my call to arms led to any of my fellow barristers signing up to mentoring programmes. What I can say is that schemes of this nature have gone from strength to strength.
My Chambers, and I personally, continue to participate in the Planning, Property and Environmental Bar mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups, as do seven further prestigious sets and (in the last year the scheme ran) some 93 barrister mentors. As the number of sets and barristers participating has grown, so too has the number of aspiring entrants to the Bar it has been able to assist. In its first year, the scheme was able to place 64 mentees – that figure had grown to 95 mentees in the most recent, third year. I’m happy to say the efforts of those who have lent their time and insights to these aspiring advocates seem to have borne fruit. Several mentees have since gone on to obtain pupillages. I have no doubt they will make a meaningful contribution to our profession as it advances further into the 21st century.
The Commercial Bar Association run an equivalent scheme that is also achieving strong levels of demand and participation. It has now run for several years, and ComBar anticipate that for the forthcoming intake places will be available for some 250 mentees to be mentored by barristers from not less than 25 commercial law chambers. Those are genuinely impressive numbers and represent a substantial collective time commitment from the barristers involved.
Speaking to my own personal experience, I have now mentored three persons from underrepresented groups, all with their own unique personal histories and talents. It has been a hugely rewarding experience, that has taught me a lot. I have seen that I can make a real difference to the prospects of my mentees. The candidates applying to such schemes are frequently sharp as a tack, hard-working and ambitious, but simply haven’t had access to the careers advice or work experience placements that others have. Others may have legitimate worries about whether they’ll ‘fit in’ to a profession still regarded by many as quite traditional and perhaps a tad stuffy. A barrister mentor can help correct these imbalances and misconceptions by giving invaluable advice on how to unlock career development opportunities, and real-life insights into life at the Bar.
I’ve found working with my mentees so enjoyable that, via a referral through the Chancery Bar Association, I’ve since signed up to work with a mentoring charity called the Promise Foundation. This will see me work on a weekly basis with secondary school students who are typically from low income and/or complex needs households. This will involve a far greater call on my time than my previous and existing mentoring activities, and will lead me to some unfamiliar territory. That said, I have no doubt it will prove an interesting and fulfilling experience.
I conclude this article by repeating my encouragement that any reader not already involved in mentoring consider taking it up. The time commitment is usually insignificant – perhaps 4 or 5 hours over the course of a year – especially when measured against the impact one can have on the prospects of a mentee. The more barristers that become involved, the more mentees we can support, and the greater the potential dividends to our profession by way of increased diversity and access to new pools of talent
Alistair Cantor, Barrister, Cornerstone Barristers.