QEB Hollis Whiteman

Equality and Diversity

QEB Hollis Whiteman is strongly committed to promoting and advancing equality and diversity in all aspects of Chambers’ life. We recognise the need for barristers to be representative of the society we serve and are actively seeking to contribute to this aim, in full knowledge that the Bar has some work to do. As a Chambers and as individuals, we do not discriminate or tolerate any form of discrimination against anybody based on any protected characteristic. Chambers is committed to the fair allocation of work.

Chambers has a dedicated Equality & Diversity Committee (EDC), consisting of an Equality & Diversity Officer and ten further Members of Chambers, which regularly meets to consider and implement policies designed to further equality and diversity. The EDC runs seminars and training sessions, and publishes an ad-hoc newsletter, on a range of equality and diversity issues, with the aim of raising awareness, eliminating discrimination, and providing support to our members.

Recruitment and work

When recruiting new tenants, pupils or staff, we look for quality and welcome applications from as wide a talent pool as possible. We do not discriminate based on any protected characteristics and have worked with the Bar Standards Board to ensure our applications at all levels not only meet but surpass the fair recruitment standards expected. All members and staff involved in recruitment have undertaken Fair Recruitment training. We are mindful of the financial difficulties faced by many at the start of their careers and therefore offer a generous pupillage grant and guaranteed earnings in pupils’ second-six. We strongly believe that financial difficulties should never be a bar to entering this profession.

Chambers Social responsibility

Both as individuals and as a collective, we are engaged in several social and charitable initiatives and are striving to play our part in ensuring equal opportunity and diversity at the Bar. We are using the momentum generated by recent tragic events to further reflect on our duties as a Chambers, and to intensify our actions to create an equal, fair, diverse and just environment for all.

Social Justice and Equal Opportunity

We are involved in mentorship programmes, as well as links to local secondary schools in London and other charitable organisations; to improve the flow of information about life at the Bar and provide support in getting to the Bar. We are also involved in the Middle Temple Pegasus Access Scheme.

We are proud to be a member of the 10,000 Black Interns programme, which offers paid work experience across a wide range of sectors each year. We are the first criminal set of Chambers to be involved and are in the process of encouraging our colleagues to participate in this exciting new initiative.

Assess to Justice and Pro Bono

Access to justice and pro bono work is at the heart of the General Crime practice group at QEB Hollis Whiteman. Our barristers are involved in a wide range of pro bono work, including involvement the Lawn Tennis Association, Sports Resolutions, Innocence Project, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Reprieve, numerous Inquests, investigations by JUSTICE, the Football Association, and many more.

Wider social responsibility

Our barristers are individually engaged in and committed to a large variety of social initiatives. Members of Chambers are also trustees for a range of organisations such as Curriculum for Cohesion, Anti-Slavery International, Angels and Elephants and Martial Arts Charitable Trust.

A number of our members have long-standing commitments with secondary schools to give talks about sex and consent, and knife crime and gang violence, are school governors, and are involved in organisations such as “Growing Against Violence”. We are also involved in grass roots charities such as CRISIS, an initiative to distribute films received by FACT to homeless shelters, Waves for Change and Plan International.