We take great pride in our positive working environment and diverse team. We are dedicated to ensuring that our people have access to the resources necessary to fulfil their role and feel a valued part of the team.
Our people are our greatest asset – our services can only be as good as the people who deliver them. They are not only technically capable and commercially astute, but professional and friendly, provided with the training and support they need to deliver a high standard of client service.
We seek to recruit only the very best and we strongly encourage applications from women, members of ethnic minorities and candidates with disabilities. We encourage difference and diversity and are totally committed to equality of opportunity.
In line with the Bar Standard’s Board’s Equality and Diversity Rules, Chambers invited all of our team to complete a survey in 2024 relating to the following characteristics: age, gender, disability, ethnic group, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic background and caring responsibilities. There is no obligation to complete the survey. An outline of the responses can be found here: Equality & Diversity Monitoring 2024.
View our Equality & Diversity Statement.
View our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.
As a modern and progressive set, we are committed to the long-term strategy of developing and improving our equality, diversity and inclusion. We actively promote diversity within our clients’ and colleagues’ networks, with whom we have regular dialogue.
Our commitment to diversity includes diversity of opinion and we support all members who take the opportunity respectfully to debate the law, its controversies and its development. However, being a member of Chambers does not imply our endorsement of those views. Barristers’ views should not be attributed either to Chambers or to their clients or colleagues. Any member expressing their views in public must do so within the professional constraints set out by the Bar Standards Board under its core duties.
That is a professional standard all members must meet, and the standard being met, it allows for diverse opinions to be expressed. This standard exists to protect all members of Chambers, the Bar and the wider public.
Chambers is a Disability Confident Employer. As users of the disability confident scheme, we encourage applicants with a disability to apply to us for advertised vacancies and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. The Disability Confident scheme is operated by the Department of Work and Pensions of the UK government.
Outer Temple Chambers is a Living Wage employer. We ensure that all employees are paid at least the Living Wage. This includes people who work on a regular basis at our premises for a subcontractor.
Outer Temple is a signatory to the Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health. The Charter is a voluntary agreement, not an accreditation or set of quality standards. Further details about the Mindful Employer Charter can be viewed here.
Mental health is especially important to us in light of the recent worldwide pandemic and we hold various in-house activities and events to monitor and maintain the mental health of our people.
“I have two young children and feel fully supported by Chambers. The clerks always check with me before placing hearings in my diary and are accommodating of my childcare needs."
Bianca Venkata, Barrister
Alex Cisneros was appointed as Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society in 2013 in recognition of his work on LGBTI rights in the Commonwealth and co-founded the Commonwealth Equality Network.
Alex Cisneros, Barrister
"The D&I Committee is working hard to address how Chambers can accommodate everyone, especially in relation to protected characteristics. This is a holistic approach, including barristers, pupils and support teams. We are looking at partnering with established projects and creating our own initiatives in order to ensure that everyone thrives at Outer Temple."
Courtney Step-Marsden, Barrister
"We conducted a social mobility review in 2019 which recommended reaching out to school pupils to inspire aspirations, facilitating programmes with universities to support those from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds and setting up bespoke social mobility mini pupillages."
David E.Grant KC, Barrister
"Our Diversity & Inclusion committee leads and coordinates Chambers’ D&I action programmes to promote increased social mobility and diversity in recruitment as well as retention of women practitioners."
Sarah Crowther KC, Barrister, Head of Chambers
“When we recruit we want to build the strongest team possible. To help us do that we assess applications anonymously where possible, so that we judge the book – and not the cover. You feel that what really matters is where you are going to, not where you came from.”
Tom Gibson, Barrister
"Everyone here is part of the Outer Temple team and to fulfill their potential everybody needs to feel welcomed and accepted in an environment where difference is not only tolerated but embraced so that all are included in what we do."
Sarah Crowther KC, Barrister, Head of Chambers
Outer Temple Chambers is committed to the implementation and promotion of equal opportunities and to ensuring an absence of direct discrimination, indirect discrimination or harassment on grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality.
We adhere to the Bar Standards Board’s Anti-Racist Statement.
Read Outer Temple’s full Anti Racism Statement here.
We are proud to subscribe and be involved in a number of initiatives including:
Outer Temple Chambers and its people are proud to be involved in the following initiatives:
As well as various outreach initiatives led by the Inns of Court.
