If you would like a barrister to give a talk to your school students, please contact the Bar Council regarding their ‘Speak Up for Others’ Programme.
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple is dedicated to ensuring that the profession of barristers is open to able candidates from any background.
In 2008, the Inner Temple launched a pioneering Schools Project to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, are aware of the opportunities available to them at the modern Bar, and to raise aspirations towards the professions more generally. Through workshops and activities, the programme challenges stereotypes about the profession, provides information about the legal system of England and Wales and promotes social mobility at the Bar.
The project was launched in conjunction with the National Education Trust, and now also works with the national Pathways to Law programme. Pathways supports high achieving state school students into law faculties and the legal professions.The Schools Project is comprised of three strands. The first is an annual seminar for students in years 12 and 13 from all state schools in Greater London who are interested in a legal career. The seminar aims to introduce students to the law in an interesting and interactive way and inform them of the opportunities at the Bar of England and Wales. Schools invited to this seminar are non-selective state schools with a high proportion of students who receive Free School Meals (more than 20%).
The attending students should also meet at least one of our Pegasus Access and Support Scheme (PASS) eligibility criteria:
- Parents did not attend university
- Parents in receipt of income support or housing benefits
- The student has been in care at some point during their schooling
- The student has a disability
- The student is in receipt of Free School Meals
The second strand of the project is run in conjunction with Pathways to Law. Students participating in this national programme attend a series of seminars and workshops at the Inn designed to inspire them and build upon their transferable skills. Students participate in a range of activities including plea in mitigation and case exercises, debating, mock trials, legal research and visits to Chambers.
The final strand of the project is a biennial seminar for teachers and careers advisers from state schools in Greater London. This aims to inform careers advisers of the opportunities that exist at the modern Bar, the education route to legal careers, funding and scholarship opportunities.
