Work with the Social Mobility Foundation

26 January, 2015

The members of Essex Court Chambers have become the first barristers’ chambers to become official supporters of the Social Mobility Foundation (“SMF”).

The SMF is a charity that aims to make a practical improvement in social mobility for young people from low-income backgrounds. The students it supports are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, as well as background. The SMF offers a wide-range of programmes to students throughout the UK, from Year 12 through to graduation. Full details can be found at www.socialmobility.org.uk.

Barristers at Essex Court Chambers have long participated in the SMF/Bar Council Bar Placement Week. Members will now also support the SMF through regular sessions aimed at assisting its students in developing their analytical, reasoning and advocacy skills. Essex Court Chambers’ first event with the SMF, kindly hosted by Baker & McKenzie, was an analysis and debate session for a group of year 13 SMF students on the topic of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Planned future events include mooting skills workshops for SMF law undergraduates.

Claire Blanchard QC, head of the Pupillage Committee at Essex Court Chambers, states:

When the proposal that Essex Court Chambers become a supporter of the SMF was put to our members, it received overwhelming support. The benefits are many. The simple fact is that the pool of high quality candidates seeking commercial pupillage is not big enough to meet the needs of all the sets that fish in it. The SMF is well established, reputable and has a proven track record in identifying and supporting able students. Working with the SMF is to our obvious advantage.

Our members are committed to equality of opportunity. It is important to send a message that when we say that, we mean it. Too many able candidates are put off pursuing a career at the Bar by negative stereotypes. Supporting the SMF is concrete action on that vital issue. The barristers at Essex Court Chambers look forward to working with the SMF in the future in what we expect to be a long and fruitful relationship.”

Emily Hodgson, Employer Relations Officer at the SMF, states :

The Social Mobility Foundation is delighted to be working together with barristers at Essex Court Chambers. Every year we welcome on to our programmes sixth-form students with an interest in pursuing a career in the legal sector.  We rely on the support of employers to ensure they are provided with opportunities within the professions that they find difficult to access.  All of the students we work with have the ability to succeed in top jobs, but lack the contacts and networks to help them get there.

In supporting our work, members of Essex Court Chambers are demonstrating their commitment to improving social mobility and diversifying the legal profession, and we welcome the barristers’ outstanding knowledge and skills in preparing SMF students for a career at the Bar. We very much look forward to working with them over the coming years and are incredibly grateful to them for choosing to support the cause.”

Other initiatives by members of Essex Court Chambers have included being amongst the first chambers to offer, in addition to mini-pupillages, an annual Open Day designed to offer an insight into life at the Bar and applying for pupillage. For full details please see the Social Responsibility page.