The regulator recently submitted a three-page document to the Bar Council’s independent review of bullying and harassment at the Bar, stating that the improvement of diversity across the profession had been far too slow, especially when it came to “closing progression gaps at senior levels.”
Chief Executive of the LSB, Craig Westwood, believed that while there has been some progress, strategies may need to change to see some worthwhile change. He said that “more targeted and disruptive action may be required to bring about the change necessary to achieving a fair, healthy, diverse and inclusive legal profession – including the Bar.”
As the oversight regulator, the LSB stated that they have a critical role to play “in setting standards and expectations for the organisations we oversee, to ensure that regulatory levers and tools are being used to tackle entrenched systemic issues in the legal profession.”
Mr Westwood acknowledged the Bar Council’s independent review, led by Harriet Harman KC, labelling it as a welcome step. He said that the Bar “is facing serious issues of bullying, harassment, sexual and other forms of misconduct”, all of which were well-researched and reported on by representatives and regulators across the sector.
He went on to state that the LSB knows that “issues of bullying, harassment and misconduct are not isolated to the Bar, nor experienced only by barristers, with evidence from the legal charity, LawCare, suggesting concerning levels of bullying, harassment and/or discrimination in the wider legal profession.”
Diversity was closely linked to the matter, according the LSB Chief Executive, as he claimed that there was evidence produced by the Bar Council itself suggesting that women and lawyers from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to experience bullying and harassment.
Mr Westwood backed up his concerns on this point, stating that the role of the LSB and “the activities of the organisations we oversee are underpinned by a regulatory objective to encourage an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession.”
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