Harry Matovu QC

Brick Court Chambers

“Black underrepresentation had no hiding place in 2020,” says Brick Court silk Harry Matovu QC, who seized the opportunity created by the Black Lives Matter movement to launch the Charter for Black Talent in Finance and the Professions in October.

The creation of the Charter was a personal highlight for Matovu in 2020 and one which he hopes will gain further momentum this year. That a senior Black silk was willing to speak up on the dire lack of diversity at the Bar last year did much to keep the issue in the spotlight. For many aspiring lawyers, Matovu is an inspiration who is helping to break down barriers to entry and career progression.

Though the charter launched just under four months ago, Matovu has already persuaded Allen & Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith Freehills, accountancy giants KMPG and PwC as well as Brick Court and 4 Pump Court to sign up to the Charter. In doing so, they have committed to using measurable data to recruit, retain and promote Black talent.

Outside his diversity work, Matovu is an in-demand arbitrator as well as acting for sovereign states in the London courts. Last month, for instance, he appeared in the Supreme Court for the state of Libya in a case concerning the enforcement of arbitral awards.