Garden Court is pleased to announce that Charlotte Ogilvie, marketing and communications executive, authored chapter 8: "Access to the Bar for All" - so much more than a financial assistance scheme.
The Diversity Agenda: Lessons and Guidance from the Legal Profession is available to purchase now. The book, edited by Francesca Ramadan, offers effective solutions to those endeavouring to maximise their chambers’ or firm’s potential through the benefits diversification can bring by shining a light on diversity measures that move past discussion into real-world action.
The book includes a chapter written by Charlotte Ogilvie, Garden Court's marketing and communications executive. The chapter is on Garden Court's award winning long term mentoring scheme 'Access to the Bar for All'. The scheme encourages students from minority and disadvantaged groups to consider a career as a barrister. 16-year-old students, girls and/or those from ethnic minority and disadvantaged groups are offered mentoring for five years and paid internships at Garden Court. Students in the scheme have the opportunity to be awarded a £7000 per year scholarship to assist with living expenses at university if they go on to study a law degree at undergraduate level.
Mia Hakl-Law, Head of Operations and Human Resources at Garden Court Chambers pioneered the mentoring scheme in conjunction with Leslie Thomas QC, Chair and Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers and housing and community care barrister, Connor Johnston of Garden Court. Barristers from Garden Court have kindly agreed to provide mentoring to students over the course of five years. The mentor barristers are: Di Middleton QC, Jo Cecil, Paul Clark, Helen Curtis, Gemma Loughran and Ann Osborne.
The chapter explores how the scheme is funded, the application process, what it entails, and how other chambers or firms can start up their own initiatives.
Charlotte has also written about the scheme for the Bar Council blog.
