"No bar to the Bar," says new website

The Bar Council has launched a new website Become-a-barrister.com which aims to promote social mobility in the profession and dispel the myth that the career is only open to those from privileged backgrounds. The site features a short film about diversity called "The Bar is open to all", and a section profiling practising and aspiring barristers from a wide range of backgrounds.  

Text on the Become-a-barrister website reads: "Barristers come from all walks of life. If you think that you can only become a barrister if you come from a privileged background or have legal contacts, you are very wrong. There are highly successful barristers in practice from a wide variety of educational and social backgrounds. Anyone with intelligence and commitment who is prepared to work hard to reap the rewards of an enjoyable career can become a barrister."

Also featuring on the site are two more short films, aimed at school and university students; one about the attraction of a career at the Bar, called "Why become a barrister?" and the other, called "The route to becoming a barrister", about what qualifications are required. The trio of films were produced as a joint project funded by the Bar Council and the four Inns of Court - Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple.