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BSB study shows pupillage stereotypes persist

1 May 2012 | By Laura Manning

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New research by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) suggests that non-traditional candidates have more difficulty securing a pupillage than those who are white, male and middle class.

The study, which compared the backgrounds of pupillage applicants in 2009 and registered pupils in 2011, revealed a number of trends. Despite black and minority ethnic (BME) students making up 26 per cent of applicants, only 14 per cent of pupils in 2011 were BME.

Meanwhile, 74 per cent of applicants were white and took 86 per cent of pupillage places. 

The data also revealed that although women accounted for a larger proportion of applicants than men, men were over-represented in the pupil population.

Elsewhere, the research indicated that those with personal funding options have a better chance in securing pupillage. The data shows that 25 per cent of pupils in 2010-11 expect to have no debt at the completion of their pupillage, while 12 per cent of pupils anticipate debt of over £30,000.

In a response to the report, a Bar Council spokesperson said: “The comparison shows considerable apparent disparities between the profile of pupillage applicants and pupils in relation to diversity and socio-economic background.

“Diversity and inclusivity are essential if a modern profession is to maintain the highest standards of excellence and contribute to a fairer and more effective society.”

The research is one in a series of data anaylses in response to Lord Neuberger’s report, which urged wide-ranging measures to improve access for students from poorer backgrounds “to level the playing field” (24 September 2009).

For more statistics from the BSB research click here.

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Readers' comments (4)

  • Anonymous | 2-May-2012 8:15 am

    Apparently, the English Bar is not ready for change. The problem with the pupillage recruitment system mirrors the problem we experience in society; stereotyping, stealth racism and the share lack of equal opportunity. Sadly, society will be worse off for some time to come.

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  • Anonymous | 2-May-2012 11:58 am

    @Anonymous

    This doesn't seem a fair criticism. 14% of last year's pupils were BME. The BME population of the UK is around 14%. To me that indicates pretty proportional representation.

    It seems a valid question why the rate of BME applicants (26%) is higher than in both the general population and the pupil population. Either BME applicants are in fact more likely than white applicants to be better barristers, and are being discriminated against in recruitment for pupillage; or there are proportionally more BME applicants in the camp of those seeking pupillage, unsuccessfully, who have been over-optimistic about their own abilities (or were willing to take the chance and have a go at applying regardless).

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  • Nick | 2-May-2012 4:27 pm

    There is, of course, a third option: the proportion of people of a BME background is higher in the age group that applyies for pupillages than it is in the population as a whole, and the Bar is not representative.

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  • Anonymous | 3-May-2012 2:40 am

    The problem with the profession is its becoming more and more far removed from business. The people selecting the future leaders of the profession naturally see "the best" candidates as those ticking the boxes they have chosen.

    Race and sex may be an issue but my experience of the UK legal profession as a whole is that those minorities chosen are chosen because they are the same as the white middle class males already running the profession not because they are from a different and bring actual diversity to the profession.

    This week, in Singapore, I was helping teach commercial managers from large Asian construction companies about Arbitration. For one section of the course we showed them a mock arbitration video with two famous QCs and an arbitrator who I did not know but was probably a barrister as well.

    The reaction of the Japanese and Koreans whose companies are actually doing a great deal of the work was why would we need people like this to solve our disputes.

    Bringing in people of a different colour skin or sex who are taught to act in a manner no different to their supervisor isn't making the profession more diverse its just just making people change..

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