*/
Coming soon to a Circuit near you? With over 80 mentored pairs and counting, the win-win WCWF opt-out scheme is getting results
In 2017 the Western Circuit Women’s Forum (WCWF) established an innovative mentoring scheme designed to: make mentoring the expectation not the exception; meet women’s specific concerns with practical advice and support from female colleagues at the most critical time of women’s careers; whilst simultaneously increasing the visibility of senior women.
Since then we have automatically allocated a female mentor of over 10 years’ call to every female practitioner on circuit under 10 years’ call. You can opt out but you don’t have to opt in. There are now upwards of 80 such pairs on our circuit and other circuits have followed suit. What a sea change!
We know there is a significant exodus of women from the Bar mid-career (see below). We know that retention would be improved by more gender-specific support and better visibility of senior female practitioners. We know there was evidence that some women felt seeking mentoring or career support would be stigmatised as ‘pushy’ (Bar Standards Board, 2016: Women at the Bar, and Bar Council, 2015: Snapshot: The Experience of Self-Employed Women at the Bar).
Our scheme, which aims to address these issues, has been enthusiastically welcomed: ‘Since another member of the Bar has indicated a willingness to act as a mentor and is assigned to you, one instantly feels less guilty (for want of a better word) about bothering that person and taking time away from their working day… enjoying a relationship with a barrister outside your own chambers [avoids] the need to ‘sugar coat’ the situation and save face in front of colleagues.’ Mother of two pre-school children
‘Seeking out this advice alone can be difficult… there can still be a stigma attached to raising concerns about gender inequality and individuals are often... reluctant to do so.’ Junior tenant
‘… an easily accessible resource for guidance and advice, [and] also promotes a new way of thinking about women’s roles at the Bar.’ Junior tenant
Equivalent praise of the scheme by mentors demonstrates its mutual benefits. We are always learning and improving and, with the support of Portsmouth University, are monitoring the scheme through an independent survey.
We are heartened by the enthusiastic uptake, feedback and our own experiences of mentoring. We hope you will inspired to find – or start – a mentoring scheme near you and are happy to share our blueprint. See: westerncircuit.co.uk/womens-forum, contact: wcwf@westerncircuit.co.uk and follow: @WCWF_
Our 2018 Back to the Bar survey demonstrated the significant exodus of women from the Bar mid-career, particularly, but not exclusively, as they face difficulties of balancing work and family. Yet the results also encourage optimism: a significant proportion of women could be retained with changes to working patterns and culture.
Selena Plowden sits on the steering committee for the Western Circuit Women’s Forum. She is a barrister at Guildhall Chambers, Bristol and sits part time as a Mental Health Judge.
This scheme was designed to meet a particular need. WCWF of course supports mentoring for and by men, and for all stages of careers. WCWF also offers ‘super-mentoring’ for female senior practitioners on all aspects of judicial and silk applications.
In 2017 the Western Circuit Women’s Forum (WCWF) established an innovative mentoring scheme designed to: make mentoring the expectation not the exception; meet women’s specific concerns with practical advice and support from female colleagues at the most critical time of women’s careers; whilst simultaneously increasing the visibility of senior women.
Since then we have automatically allocated a female mentor of over 10 years’ call to every female practitioner on circuit under 10 years’ call. You can opt out but you don’t have to opt in. There are now upwards of 80 such pairs on our circuit and other circuits have followed suit. What a sea change!
We know there is a significant exodus of women from the Bar mid-career (see below). We know that retention would be improved by more gender-specific support and better visibility of senior female practitioners. We know there was evidence that some women felt seeking mentoring or career support would be stigmatised as ‘pushy’ (Bar Standards Board, 2016: Women at the Bar, and Bar Council, 2015: Snapshot: The Experience of Self-Employed Women at the Bar).
Our scheme, which aims to address these issues, has been enthusiastically welcomed: ‘Since another member of the Bar has indicated a willingness to act as a mentor and is assigned to you, one instantly feels less guilty (for want of a better word) about bothering that person and taking time away from their working day… enjoying a relationship with a barrister outside your own chambers [avoids] the need to ‘sugar coat’ the situation and save face in front of colleagues.’ Mother of two pre-school children
‘Seeking out this advice alone can be difficult… there can still be a stigma attached to raising concerns about gender inequality and individuals are often... reluctant to do so.’ Junior tenant
‘… an easily accessible resource for guidance and advice, [and] also promotes a new way of thinking about women’s roles at the Bar.’ Junior tenant
Equivalent praise of the scheme by mentors demonstrates its mutual benefits. We are always learning and improving and, with the support of Portsmouth University, are monitoring the scheme through an independent survey.
We are heartened by the enthusiastic uptake, feedback and our own experiences of mentoring. We hope you will inspired to find – or start – a mentoring scheme near you and are happy to share our blueprint. See: westerncircuit.co.uk/womens-forum, contact: wcwf@westerncircuit.co.uk and follow: @WCWF_
Our 2018 Back to the Bar survey demonstrated the significant exodus of women from the Bar mid-career, particularly, but not exclusively, as they face difficulties of balancing work and family. Yet the results also encourage optimism: a significant proportion of women could be retained with changes to working patterns and culture.
Selena Plowden sits on the steering committee for the Western Circuit Women’s Forum. She is a barrister at Guildhall Chambers, Bristol and sits part time as a Mental Health Judge.
This scheme was designed to meet a particular need. WCWF of course supports mentoring for and by men, and for all stages of careers. WCWF also offers ‘super-mentoring’ for female senior practitioners on all aspects of judicial and silk applications.
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
Giovanni D’Avola explores the issue of over-citation of unreported cases and the ‘added value’ elements of a law report
Louise Crush explores the key points and opportunities for tax efficiency
Westgate Wealth Management Ltd is a Partner Practice of FTSE 100 company St. James’s Place – one of the top UK Wealth Management firms. We offer a holistic service of distinct quality, integrity, and excellence with the aim to build a professional and valuable relationship with our clients, helping to provide them with security now, prosperity in the future and the highest standard of service in all of our dealings.
Is now the time to review your financial position, having reached a career milestone? asks Louise Crush
If you were to host a dinner party with 10 guests, and you asked them to explain what financial planning is and how it differs to financial advice, you’d receive 10 different answers. The variety of answers highlights the ongoing need to clarify and promote the value of financial planning.
Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page
If your current practice environment is bringing you down, seek a new one. However daunting the change, it will be worth it, says Anon Barrister
Creating advocacy opportunities for juniors is now the expectation but not always easy to put into effect. Tom Mitcheson KC distils developing best practice from the Patents Court initiative already bearing fruit
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
National courts are now running the bulk of the world’s war crimes cases and corporate prosecutions are part of this growing trend, reports Chris Stephen