29 Bedford Row Chambers > London, England > Set Profile

Diversity

29 Bedford Row Chambers is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity regardless of age, race, nationality, sex, gender re-assignment, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, disability, religion or belief, pregnancy or political persuasion.

Our commitment to promoting equal opportunities, diversity, inclusion, and ensuring an absence of discrimination requires that positive steps are taken to identify and eliminate possible discrimination in the decisions that need to be taken concerning:

• The recruitment of pupils, tenants, clerks or other staff;
• Relations between pupils, tenants, clerks and other staff – both professionally and socially;
• The treatment of those connected with chambers, whether directly or indirectly as lay and professional clients.

A full copy of our equality and diversity policy is attached here and sets out in more detail the steps which we are taking to ensure that 29 Bedford Row is an environment free from discrimination.

A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion must of course be more than simply one made ‘on paper’. We therefore support (including financially) organisations and initiatives which encourage disadvantaged and minority groups to consider pursuing a career at the Bar. We also support organisations that provide legal advice and assistance to those who cannot afford representation.

Over recent years this has included:

• Participation in Bridging the Bar – https://www.bridgingthebar.org;
• Sponsorship of 10,000 Black Interns and hosting one of the students – https://www.10000blackinterns.com;
• Sponsorship of and involvement in events arranged by the Queen Mary University Bar Society – where 91% of undergraduates are from state schools; 62% are BAME; 42% are the first into Higher Education in their families; and 27% are from households where the annual taxable income is less than £15,000 pa – https://www.queenmarybarsociety.org
• Participation in Middle Temple’s Access to the Bar Scheme Award- https://www.middletemple.org.uk/becoming-barrister/access-bar-award;
• Supporting the LEDLET Summer Scheme – https://www.ledlet.org.uk/copy-of-summer-scheme;
• Participation in FreeBar and in particular its Visibility Project which contains a collection of profiles from LGBTQ+ members of the profession – https://freebar.co.uk/visibility-project/;
• Becoming a Guardian sponsor of Support Through Court, a charity which provides free, independent assistance to litigants attending court without legal representation – http://supportthroughcourt.org; and
• Individual members visiting educational institutions to promote access to the Bar and getting involvement in mentoring programmes

We are always keen to become involved in other schemes that promote social mobility and otherwise widen access to the Bar.

Client Testimonials

CLIENT: Zoe Bloom
COMPANY/FIRM: Bloom Budd
TESTIMONIAL: ‘’There is no better set of matrimonial finance practitioners in London. The members are steeped in exceptional work from the outset of their careers and they are mentored and supported from within chambers by each other and their incomparable clerks. Most importantly, everyone associated with chambers is grounded, approachable and just really really good at what they do. As a consequence, they can be relied upon to consistently deliver outstanding result and resolve the stickiest situations.’’

CLIENT: David Allison
COMPANY/FIRM: Family Law In Partnership
TESTIMONIAL: “29 Bedford Row is an excellent set for family law. They have some of the best talent in the business at both junior and silk level. Members are instructed by the best firms in London and further afield. They appear in many of the important cases before courts at all levels. The clerking team is second to none. Overall a first rate chambers!”

CLIENT: James Brown
COMPANY/FIRM: Hall Brown
TESTIMONIAL: ‘’I have had the pleasure of working with 29 Bedford Row for nearly 20 years. They are, as is well known, one of a very small handful of ‘top’ family law sets in this country with strength and depth at every level. What sets them apart, however, is the accessibility of their members and the way they are clerked. Whether it is the newest of juniors or the most senior Silk, the barristers are willing to work as part of a team for the lay client which makes them a pleasure to instruct and, ultimately, achieves better results. The clerking team know the process, their instructing solicitors and the personalities of their various barristers. The result is a true “matching” of barrister, solicitor and lay client as opposed to a mere diary service. I cannot recommend them highly enough.’’

CLIENT: Barbara Reeves
COMPANY/FIRM: Mishcon De Reya
TESTIMONIAL: I have enjoyed a close relationship with 29 Bedford Row since 1999. They have an extremely strong offering at every level, with an excellent quality of service and depth of skill, together with superb clerking. It’s now home to a super set of barristers, first class silks and strong juniors and headed up by new heads, Alexis Campbell QC and Nick Allen QC, who continue to build on their international reputation as market leaders in Family Law.

CLIENT: Justin Moss
COMPANY/FIRM: Moss Fallon
TESTIMONIAL: “One of the top four sets. They have excellent people at all levels of call and the clerks, led by James, ably assisted by Julie, are unfailingly helpful, responsive and a pleasure to work with.”