Equality, diversity & inclusion
The members and staff at Gatehouse Chambers are committed to equal opportunities at work and at the Bar. This commitment manifests itself in our policies and procedures, in our strategic objectives, and in our recruitment practices. We take a pride in ensuring that everyone has the best opportunity to join our team and to be the best they can be. We have a commitment to encourage others to join the legal profession. Our people are our greatest asset and we want to attract the very best talent possible. For more information visit our Recruitment pages and our Pupillage pages.
We do not tolerate discrimination on any grounds in the selection, treatment or conduct of any of Gatehouse Chambers’ members, pupils or staff. You can find out more about our values and our Gatehouse Chambers Charter.
In order to achieve our goals there are a number of initiatives we have been involved in over the years to contribute to the progression and diversity of the Bar. If you would like to know more please contact Amanda Illing, CEO, who works alongside our Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee. Our EDI Officers are Shazia Akhtar, James Hall, Sarah Clarke, Ebony Alleyne and Joshua Griffin.
Gatehouse Chambers’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies are reviewed annually by the EDI Committee when setting priorities for the year ahead. These priorities are reviewed by the Chambers Management Committee on an annual basis.
- Race & Diversity
Gatehouse Chambers supports Black Lives Matter. See our #BlackLivesMatter Pledge.
Black History Month
Gatehouse Chambers proudly celebrates Black History Month with our annual pop-up series showcasing black-owned businesses. In recent years, we’ve hosted an inspiring range of vendors offering everything from jewellery and skincare to coffee, candles, art, cakes, and herbal teas.
Black Solicitors’ Network and UK Diversity Legal Table
Gatehouse Chambers is proud to have been top ranked as Black Solicitors’ Network ‘Chambers of the Year’ in 2011, 2012 and 2016.
Podcast Series
2021 saw our interview series: What are you Proud2Be?” and you can view the videos and listen to the podcasts by going to the Insights section of our website. In 2020 some of our members and staff put together personal pieces honouring some influential black lawyers and you can see these all here:
- Disability and Accessibility at Gatehouse
Appropriate facilities for disabled people, and disabled access are maintained to ensure that a visit to Gatehouse Chambers is thought out carefully and meets your needs. Accessible toilet facilities are available; guide dogs for people with impaired vision are welcome; a laptop computer is available for any conferences attended by people who have impaired hearing. If a visitor has specific requirements they are encouraged to speak to one of our Front of House team to ensure we can do everything possible to make your visit to Gatehouse Chambers comfortable and easy.
View our Reasonable Adjustments Policy.
Gatehouse Chambers is a proud Level 1 signatory of the Disability Confident Scheme.
- Gender equality
Gatehouse Chambers’ Gender Equality Pledge
Gatehouse Chambers is dedicated to the promotion and advancement of women in the workplace, and specifically at the Bar. Gatehouse Chambers’ members and staff belong to numerous women’s gender equality groups and industry fora to promote and support gender equality, particularly in areas of the profession historically dominated by men.
Women in Law Pledge
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).
Arbitration Pledge
We are signatories to the ERA Pledge.
- LGBTQIA+ and Allies
Gatehouse Chambers was proud to collaborate with other chambers to create FreeBar, a network for everyone at the Bar who believes in equality for LGBT+ individuals and for all those who work at the Bar – whether you are a member, pupil, member of staff, member of the judiciary, or a person who works with members of the Bar. If you would like more information, please email info@freebar.co.uk or patrick.sarson@gatehouselaw.co.uk. Our members have also commented on LGBT+ issues facing the Bar and the judiciary in the media.
Gatehouse Chambers is also a signatory to the FreeBar Charter. You can view our commitment here.
Chambers celebrates LGBT+ History Month. Our members have put together personal pieces honouring some influential LGBT+ figures which you can read below:
- Neurodiversity in Law
Gatehouse Chambers supports entry into the profession for aspiring barristers with neurodivergent conditions and to foster a more neurodiverse and accepting environment at the Bar. We are proud to be signatories of Neurodiversity in Law (Babington Charter).
- Diversity Data Publication
The Bar Standards Board Code of Conduct states that a summary of the Diversity Data submitted by the Members of the Workforce be published on chambers’ website by 31 December 2012 and thereafter every three years. The summary of our 2023 data, in accordance with these rules, can be found here: Gatehouse Chambers Diversity Data 2023.
Any questions relating to our equality and diversity regulations, please contact our EDI Committee here: edi@gatehouselaw.co.uk
- Wellbeing programme
Gatehouse Chambers is keen to promote mental health support and wellbeing in the workplace, and has an internal scheme – the Employee Assistance Programme – to help support these objectives.
Gatehouse Chambers has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Bar Council to recognise our efforts to promote wellbeing.
- Our values and the Gatehouse Chambers Charter
Our core values are central to everything we do.
Our values are underpinned by our Gatehouse Chambers Charter.
- Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
This document serves as the slavery and human trafficking statement of Gatehouse Chambers. Due to its size as a small organisation Gatehouse Chambers is not required to make this statement pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, but chooses to do so as a public statement of commitment to the meaning behind the Act.
Gatehouse Chambers is an organisation of self-employed barristers and employed staff, and is a provider of legal services (including advice, advocacy and training) to Individuals, Commercial, Insurance and Public Sector clients. Gatehouse Chambers has one office (known as a chambers) in Gray’s Inn in London (one of the four Inns of Court). Gatehouse Chambers usually has around 90 barristers (including trainee barristers) and about 30 staff at any given time.
Our policies on slavery and human trafficking
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. In light of the obligation to report on measures to ensure that all parts of our business and supply chain are slavery free we have put in place a designated Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy.
Our Modern Slavery Policy demonstrates our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place anywhere in our supply chains.
Our supply chains
In order to ensure that everyone within Gatehouse Chambers’ supply chain comply with our values and ethics, we ask specific questions of all potential new suppliers on their policies, approaches and risk management processes.
As part of our annual risk analysis review, we will also be asking all existing suppliers to review their arrangements.
Training
In order to ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our supply chains and our business we are ensuring that this is covered in a training session for our staff.