Attorney General Ellie Reeves has published new expectations for how government legal work is distributed among barristers on the Civil and EU Panel of Counsel.
The Diversity and Inclusion Statement, published with the Treasury Solicitor, asks chambers to allocate work fairly and inclusively and to support the recruitment and progression of counsel from different backgrounds.
Appointments to the panels will continue through a merit-based competition. The statement does not change the selection process, but focuses on what happens after counsel have joined the panel.
The Government Legal Department will collect self-declared diversity data from applicants and monitor whether work and fee payments are distributed fairly. The information will not be visible to those assessing applications, and disclosure will be optional.
The panel supplies specialist barristers for some of the Government's most significant legal work. As one of the country's largest purchasers of legal services, the department can influence career opportunities across the profession.
Progress against the commitments will be reviewed regularly with chambers and counsel. The Bar Council welcomed the initiative while stressing that implementation and monitoring will determine its impact.
