Garden Court Chambers' mentoring scheme 'Access to the Bar For All' has been shortlisted for Diversity Project of the Year at the Women In Law Awards 2020.
The scheme, led by our Director of Operations and Human Resources Mia Hakl-Law, encourages minority/disadvantaged groups to consider a career at the Bar.
Our pioneering and award-winning mentoring scheme, ‘Access to the Bar for All’, 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.
In 2017, the scheme was awarded Diversity Initiative of the Year at the UK Diversity Legal Awards. In 2019, we were awarded Outstanding Contribution to Diversity & Inclusion at the Chambers Bar Awards and now the scheme has been shortlisted for Diversity Project of the Year at the Women inn LAw Awards 2020.
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.
This scheme has been pioneered by Mia Hakl-Law, Director of Operations and Human Resources at Garden Court Chambers, in conjunction with Leslie Thomas QC, Chair of Garden Court Chambers.
Barristers from Garden Court have kindly agreed to provide mentoring to students over the course of five years. The mentor barristers are: Ann Osborne, Anya Lewis, Connor Johnston, Gemma Loughran, Helen Curtis, Irena Sabic, Jo Cecil, Marina Sergides, Mark Gatley, Mukhtiar Singh, and Paul Clark.
Currently the three participating schools are Oaklands School, Walworth Academy and Plumstead Manor.
To find out more about the scheme, contact Mia Hakl-Law, Director of Operations and Human Resources on +44(0)20 7993 7662 or by emailing miah@gclaw.co.uk.