Serle Court

Serle Court recognises the importance of providing a positive and supportive working environment for our barristers and staff and has done so for several years. As a growing chambers, we acknowledge the importance of maintaining a collegiate working environment and the need to ensure that all our policies and practices enable us to do this.

Serle Court has an established Equality, Diversity and Wellbeing Committee and a Chambers Health & Wellbeing Policy with the work of that committee overseen by the Management Committee thereby ensuring it has the widest application to all aspects of Chambers. We also have a member on the Chancery Bar E&D Committee.

Serle Court’s Equality and Diversity policy aims include:

• to secure equality of opportunity in every area of its activities.
• to treat its members, pupils, employees, clients, and the public with respect.
• to observe and endorse the relevant provisions of the Code of Conduct and the Equality and Diversity Code, particularly when discharging any duties in the management of Chambers.
• to strive to ensure that Chambers does not directly or indirectly discriminate against any current or prospective member, pupil, employee or client on any improper ground, such as age; disability; gender reassignment; marital or civil partnership status; pregnancy or maternity; race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation.

We are formulating a series of health and wellbeing related initiatives as part of chambers’ wellbeing strategy, as we believe that a healthy and well-motivated chambers will enhance our productiveness and effectiveness. We aim to encourage and facilitate working practices and services that support the health and wellbeing of barristers, pupils, and staff.

Work/life balance is a central pillar of the Serle Court ethos. Barristers take breaks, sabbaticals and manage their workloads. Annual practice review meetings (PRM) provide an opportunity for members to discuss with clerks, the Chief Executive, and the Business Development Manager how they see their next year and how much work they would like to do. Experience of flexible working from the pandemic means barristers and employees are able to adopt a working pattern that best suits their needs and Serle Court responds positively to accommodate the best work/life balance for the individual barrister.

Serle Court is delighted to have received a Wellbeing Certificate of Recognition from The Bar Council by demonstrating chambers’ dedication and commitment to the wellbeing of its barristers and staff through our policies, and wellbeing programmes. Please find more information on our CSR page here.