Equality and Diversity

Equality, diversity and inclusion are central to the values of Cloisters Chambers. We are committed to creating an environment in which individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and to promoting fairness, accessibility and opportunity throughout the legal profession. Our approach combines policy, action and accountability, ensuring that inclusion remains embedded in both our culture and our work.

  • We recognise the importance of wellbeing at the Bar and are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our members and staff.

    Chambers seeks to promote a supportive and collegiate working environment and to encourage open conversations around wellbeing.

  • Cloisters Chambers is committed to promoting gender equality and addressing the structural and cultural barriers that affect progression and retention at the Bar.

    We are proud signatories to the Women in Law Pledge, created by the Bar Council of England and Wales, The Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX). Through this commitment, we support the advancement of equality, the elimination of sex discrimination, and the promotion of meaningful, long-term change across the legal profession.

  • Cloisters Chambers is committed to promoting race equality and identifying, challenging and addressing racism and racial inequality in all aspects of Chambers' work.

    We recognise that racism operates both at an interpersonal level, through bias and discrimination between individuals, and at a structural level, through systems, practices and norms that can entrench inequality. Addressing racism requires sustained commitment, reflection and action.

    We are committed to collecting and reviewing relevant data to identify inequalities and to taking appropriate steps to address them. We actively engage with the experiences, concerns and needs of our members, staff, pupils, and both professional and lay clients, and support initiatives that promote representation, inclusion and equality of opportunity across the legal profession.

    In particular, we focus on promoting race equality across the following areas of Chambers' activity:

    • Recruitment of pupils, tenants and staff

    • Career development and progression

    • Allocation of work

    • Monitoring of earnings

    • Governance of Chambers

    • Protection against harassment and discrimination

    • Whistleblowing protections

    • Sanctions for misconduct

    • Education and training

    • Marketing and social activities

    • Review and development of Chambers' policies

    Our aim is to foster a culture in which racial discrimination is not tolerated and where fairness, respect and inclusion are actively promoted.

  • We are committed to making reasonable adjustments where required. This applies to:

    • Clients

    • Staff

    • Pupils

    • Tenants

    • Candidates for employment, pupillage and tenancy

    • Other visitors

    Requests for reasonable adjustments are treated sensitively and confidentially, and Chambers will work with individuals to ensure appropriate arrangements are put in place wherever reasonably possible.

    You can find our Reasonable Adjustment policy' here.

  • Please visit the links below for our equality and diversity policies:

  • As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we publish diversity data relating to the composition of Chambers in accordance with Bar Standards Board requirements.

    Our latest diversity data report is available below:

    This report provides anonymised information about the diversity of our members and staff and helps us monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and inform our equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives.