Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

5RB is committed to promoting equal opportunities and preventing discrimination. Diversity and inclusivity lie at the heart of our working and recruitment policies, and we take an active role in social mobility schemes that share our commitment to creating a more diverse Bar.

Our Statement of Principle

5RB is fully committed to the principle of equality of opportunity without discrimination on grounds of race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, religion or belief (“the protected characteristics”) and without discrimination on grounds of socio-economic background.

5RB does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the basis of the protected characteristics or socio-economic background.

We are committed to promoting diversity in our workforce and in the legal profession generally.

Without prejudice to the generality of this commitment, we place particular emphasis on the need to avoid discrimination and, so far as is lawful, to promote diversity in the context of recruitment and selection, fair access to work, and the allocation of unassigned work.

All our members, pupils and staff must conduct themselves in accordance with the statement of principle set out above.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is also demonstrated by the efforts of our barristers and staff, who take part in a range of initiatives to promote diversity and equal opportunities at the Bar. These include:

• BVL: 5RB is a proud sponsor of BVL, a charity that offers 16-18-year-old students from non-fee-paying schools the opportunity to explore the UK legal system.
• Inner Temple’s Pegasus Access and Support Scheme (“PASS”): 5RB hosts students taking part in PASS, an advocacy and work experience programme for undergraduates and graduates from under-represented backgrounds who attended a state secondary school.
• Middle Temple’s Access to the Bar Award: 5RB also offers work experience placements to students taking part in the MTATB Award, which is open to undergraduate and postgraduate law students from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Bar Council’s Bar Placement Scheme: 5RB hosts students taking part in the Bar Council’s work experience scheme, which is open to state-educated sixth form and college students. We are proud to share that Amina Yaasiin Ahmed, a 2023 Bar Placement student, won an award for her report in which she discussed her time at 5RB.

Diversity Data

In line with Bar Standards Board requirements, 5RB periodically carries out a data diversity survey of members and staff. We use this data to inform our practices.

In order to maintain the anonymity of respondents, some of our diversity data cannot be published. Our publishable diversity data for 2022 can be found here.

Pro Bono

We consider that the provision of a degree of free legal advice and representation is an essential part of a barrister’s practice in accordance with the general standards and ethics of the Bar. For more information see our Pro Bono page.