School of Law leads launch of the North Eastern Circuit Bar Diversity Hub

On Wednesday 25 February, the School of Law’s Director of Employability, Alex Batesmith, launched the Bar Diversity Hub, a new collaborative initiative with the North Eastern Circuit of the Bar.

More than 75 students from ten regional universities joined 35 barristers and judges from the North Eastern Circuit, representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service and Government Legal Department, and Rachel Krys, consultant to the Bar Council’s Diversity Hub, for the launch event led by Mr Batesmith. 

 

Mr Batesmith, who practised as a barrister in Leeds for a decade specialising in criminal and family law, opened the evening by highlighting the need for stronger pathways into the profession for aspiring advocates across the region. 

Attendees also heard from Deputy Head of the School of Law Dr Chloe Wallace, Jason Pitter KC (former Leader of the North Eastern Circuit), and Gill Batts KC (lead of the Circuit’s ELEVATE initiative), who each spoke about the importance of collaboration in widening access to the Bar. 

 

Jason Pitter KC addresses the audience

One of the evening’s most powerful reflections came from first-year LLB student Mubshrah Zia (University of Leeds, School of Law): 

As someone from a non-legal background, and as an Asian Muslim woman who wears the hijab, there have been moments when I have questioned whether I would truly belong at the Bar… Hearing directly from practitioners, including inspiring female barristers from the CPS, Park Square Barristers and KBW Chambers, was both reassuring and motivating.

A regional network for real change 

Funded through the ESRC’s Creating Opportunities Through Innovation Fellowships and the Impact Acceleration Account, and supported by Circuit Leader Jason Pitter KC, the Bar Diversity Hub will serve as a regional EDI knowledge‑sharing and support network. It will unite barristers, judges, the Bar Council, the Inns of Court, universities across the North, and third‑sector partners. 

Diversity Hub goals 

• Strengthen the evidence base on perceptions of the Bar and barriers to entering it. 

• Develop connections with schools, universities and communities who may not see the Bar as an accessible career. 

• Create meaningful links between aspiring barristers and practitioners. 

• Support existing practitioners to feel valued and included on Circuit, whatever their background. 

With these aims in focus, the Hub is developing a sustainable programme of outreach to local schools and universities, a mentoring scheme, and a central repository of EDI resources and best practice for practitioners. 

 

Working Group driving strategic development 

At the heart of the Hub is a new Working Group of academics, barristers, judges and third‑sector organisations. This group will lead strategic developments designed to strengthen the Circuit’s commitment to widening access and supporting career progression at the Bar. 

Key priorities include: 

• Co-designing and relaunching the North Eastern Circuit’s diversity webpages to make them more accessible to aspiring applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. 

• Supporting and amplifying existing Circuit EDI initiatives such as the Diversity Scholarship, mentoring programmes, and outreach activities across regional schools and universities. 

Reflecting on the launch, Mr Alex Batesmith said: 

The North Eastern Circuit has a longstanding tradition of openness and tolerance, and in recent years has been making great strides in diversity and inclusion… The Diversity Hub aims to build on this excellent work.

The School of Law extends its thanks to the student team supporting Mr Batesmith: research assistants Hazel Maris and Roxana Tuinea‑Bobe (4th‑year LLB), and event assistants Samuel Scott and Phoebe Golton (3rd‑year LLB).