School of Law academic is awarded local innovation fellowship
Associate Professor Alex Batesmith has been awarded a Creating Opportunities through Local Innovation Fellowship (COLIF).
Creating Opportunities through Local Innovation Fellowships
The fellowships aim to spread opportunities and reduce regional inequalities through working with local businesses, third sector organisations and policy communities.
They are delivered through ESRC’s Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAA) via the members of ESRC IAA Cluster 2 (comprised of the Universities of Leeds, York, Liverpool, Manchester, Huddersfield and Sheffield).
The Fellowships are geared towards creating place-based activities around key priority thematic areas such as cost of living and social protection, productivity and employment through a place lens and understanding and encouraging pro-social behaviour in communities.
EDI within the Northeastern Circuit
Mr Batesmith’s fellowship builds on 2024 research into equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within the Northeastern Circuit (NEC), focusing on barristers and aspiring barristers. Recognising the need for sustainable EDI strategies, key stakeholders – including students, barristers, judges, regulators, universities, and third-sector organisations – have come together to formalise the initiative as the Bar Diversity Hub, a platform for ongoing collaboration and impact.
The Bar Diversity Hub will serve as a regional EDI network, uniting barristers, judges, regulators, universities, and third sector organisations to broaden access to the Bar, enhance career progression, and build on systemic change within the profession. Core activities will include an EDI Working Group, an online resource platform, a mentorship programme, outreach efforts, EDI awareness events within barristers’ chambers, and public engagement through conferences and publications.
A lasting model for diversity and inclusion
By embedding EDI efforts within the NEC’s existing framework, the hub aims to build a lasting model for diversity and inclusion. Its expected impact includes greater representation in the legal profession, enhanced inclusivity within chambers, and improved understanding and public confidence in the legal system. Through collaboration and strategic engagement, it will ensure long-term improvements in diversity and inclusion.
Mr Batesmith says:
The Bar has already made important strides in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion; with the help of the Fellowship, the Bar Diversity Hub is designed to build on that progress by strengthening regional collaboration across the Northeastern Circuit. This initiative brings together a wide range of stakeholders to share best practice, support under-represented groups, and embed sustainable, systemic change. By formalising and expanding existing efforts, the Hub will help ensure the Bar is reflective of the diverse society it serves.
Mr Batesmith is a founding member of the Legal Professions Research Group that sits within the Centre for Innovation and Research in Legal Education, and a member of the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies. He can be found on LinkedIn.
