Sets impose diversity training regime on clerks
Barristers’ clerks are being forced to undertake diversity training as chambers seek to protect themselves against discrimination claims such as those brought against 4 New Square.
A number of sets have ramped up their diversity training efforts as the issue moves to the top of the agenda for the barristers’ profession.
The profession’s regulator, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), is drafting new rules on equality and diversity. These rules, which are expected to be put before the board in the autumn and implemented with the bar’s new Code of Conduct next year, will make existing good practice guidelines on equality and diversity mandatory.
Meanwhile, courses on diversity and equality run by the Inner Temple are filling up within hours of being announced. The other Inns of Court are following Inner Temple’s example, with Middle Temple restarting courses in the autumn and Gray’s Inn also planning training.
Only Lincoln’s Inn, where 4 New Square is located, has no plans to run diversity courses, although a staff member said it had done so on one occasion.
Hardwicke Chambers is one set to have sent all of its staff on diversity training. Practice director Amanda Illing said the training had raised awareness of appropriate behaviour and language in the workplace as well as focusing on recruitment issues.
“It hasn’t come a moment too soon for the bar and clerks’ rooms,” added Illing.
At 3 Verulam Buildings all staff are to be educated in diversity following earlier training for senior practice managers. Barrister John Odgers, who chairs the set’s equality and diversity committee, said clients expected staff to be aware of diversity issues.
“We have to keep an eye on the fairness of our internal regime,” Odgers said, adding that 3 Verulam Buildings has also just carried out an “exhaustive internal consultation” to improve its parental leave policies and the retention of female barristers.
David Barnes, chief executive at 39 Essex Street and chair of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks (IBC), said the IBC was encouraging members to receive training and was also engaging with the BSB in drafting the new rules.
4 New Square barrister Aisha Bijlani recently won the right to pursue a racial and disability claim against the chambers in the Employment Appeal Tribunal TheLawyer.com, 27 June). The decision follows the Employment Tribunal’s dismissal of Bijlani’s 16 claims in March 2010.
Readers' comments (13)
Marx | 11-Jul-2011 12:07 pm
Barristers chambers need to train their staff over diversity issues???This is a sorry state of affairs, surely?
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Anonymous | 11-Jul-2011 1:59 pm
Barristers' chambers are shockingly lacking in professionalism. Cocaine, harassment, strip clubs... I have seen it all. Barristers' chambers need to do a lot more than send their clerks to a training course for a few hours.
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Dr Pete Jones | 11-Jul-2011 8:29 pm
We should applaud the intention but the research suggests most 'diversity training' will have but a short term effect on knowledge, which wanes after about 3 months and often just confuses by imparting knowledge we fail to retain fully. It isn't about knowledge, it is about impacting attitudes and training rarely effectively addresses this much tougher nut.. Turkeys do not vote for Christmas, which is why changes in the make-up of chambers and the way clients are impacted by the snowy peaks within the law (and most other professions) wil not be accomplished by force feeding training.
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Amanda Illing | 12-Jul-2011 10:28 am
Diversity training in clerks’ rooms and practice teams is an important step to educate people on acceptable language and behaviour in a modern day professional services environment. It’s often not out malice, but ignorance that people behave in a certain way, and do not realise that what they are saying and doing is causing offence to others (colleagues, members, clients).
These teams are busy, highly charged environments often full of noise and banter. They are great places to work.
So the important thing is to educate and raise awareness about diversity issues, but an even more important thing is for staff to recognise how important it is, and to ensure their teams operate with dignity and respect for each other and don’t allow unacceptable language and behaviour to perpetuate. This requires robust, fair and transparent staff management, and that probably requires another training course!
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Anonymous | 12-Jul-2011 10:35 am
It looks like you have been watching to much sil mate
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Anonymous | 12-Jul-2011 10:36 am
Looks likes someones been watching to much of a bbc programme
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Choo-Choo | 12-Jul-2011 12:07 pm
Diversity blah. I wish I'd jumped on that particular gravy train before it left the station.
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pc world | 13-Jul-2011 0:18 am
Diversity training in clerks’ rooms and practice teams is an important step to educate people on acceptable language and behaviour in a modern day professional services environment (We've read the reports about 4 New Square and we're scared!!!). It’s often not out malice, but ignorance that people behave in a certain way, and do not realise that what they are saying and doing is causing offence to others (colleagues, members, clients). These teams are busy, highly charged environments often full of noise and banter. They are great places to work. (Sounds grim) So the important thing is to educate and raise awareness about diversity issues, but an even more important thing is for staff to recognise how important it is, and to ensure their teams operate with dignity and respect for each other and don’t allow unacceptable language and behaviour to perpetuate. This requires robust, fair and transparent staff management, and that probably requires another training course and more wasted time and money! Yawn.
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Peter Hall | 13-Jul-2011 2:50 am
Undertaking Diversity is an important first step. However, what needs to follow is developing a strategy that tackles unconscious bias that may prevail within the organisation/Chambers. Given the key role that equality cases set, it is vital that all who work within that culture fully understand the need to be viewed as fair and inclusive.
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Big Chris | 15-Jul-2011 9:11 am
PC gone mad, i agree with Dr PJ a training course will never change a persons inner being, it merely wastes and hour of their lives letting someone get paid a ridiculous for telling them what they already know is wrong! I now have to attend a 'how to lift a box' course and i am 43, they got no chance!!
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Anonymous | 15-Jul-2011 3:03 pm
A very interesting article, and praiseworthy comment from Ms Illing. Although some here seem to focus on whether or not the training will actually change attitudes, surely an equally important point is that in providing the training, the sets will be less likely to be held to be principally culpable in future cases of discrimination. Also, let's not forget that most of the City business and legal cases which we have seen going to tribunal/court are not about a little bit of harmless banter. I, for one, would not want my female relatives in some of those offices.
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jezhop | 15-Jul-2011 9:16 pm
It is not surprising that the Bar's response to this issue has met with cynism, when seemingly it takes the prospect of bad publicity or a lawsuit to prompt any action, rather than taking proactive steps for the right reasons in the first place. That said, surely it is better to react than not to act at all and these steps must be commended, provided E&D is treated as an ongoing process rather than a box to tick by providing easily-forgotten, one-off training sessions.
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jezhop | 16-Jul-2011 9:22 am
It is not surprising that the Bar's response to this issue has met with cynicism, when seemingly it takes the prospect of bad publicity or a lawsuit to prompt any action, rather than taking proactive steps for the right reasons in the first place. That said, surely it is better to react than not to act at all and these steps must be commended, provided E&D is treated as an ongoing process rather than a box to tick by providing easily-forgotten, one-off training sessions.
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