Training for the legal Bar between 2004 – 2008: the profile of pupil barristers in England and Wales Anna Zimdars (Manchester) & Jennifer Sauboorah (Bar Standards Board) ABFN November

Overview 1.Rationale 2.Methods 3.Findings 4.Future Research 5.Discussion

Three Questions about entry to the Bar I II III What should the What is it? How do we profile of entrants be? change it?

Motivation Equality of Opportunity Monitoring

ideal research from cradle to pinnacle of professional life attrition at every stage Leave Schooling Leave University Legal Training Leave Area of practice Employment status Promotions Honours Salary Leave

Actual Research Design 1)Who are the pupils? ( )  Context Low success rate Merit selection  Limitations cross-sectional

Data & Methods (study 1) Data Source  Pupillage survey - High response rate, about 95 %  about 2,000 observations for four years ( ) Data details  parent occupation, ethnicity, gender, age  University first degree, degree class, conversion course, BVC grade  Analysis: 1)Description of pupils 2)Pupillage earnings 3)Employed or self-employed practice 4)Region – London or outside

PupilsComparison University Oxbridge324 Other Russell Group3627 Other3269 Degree Class First265 Upper Second6250 Lower1245 BVC grade Outstanding 127 Pupils: + Oxbridge + Firsts + BVC outstanding Pupils’ attainment

Pupils’ social background Pupils: + high SES + White + male + not disabled PupilsComparison Social class Professional or Managerial6846 Working class319 Ethnicity White8077 Gender Female5158 Disability Yes35

Pupillage Earnings Education effects + Oxbridge (+4 to 6 K) + First (+4 to 6 K) + BVC outstanding (+ 3K) Remaining effects of social background - female (-1 K) - older than 25 (-1 K) Working class and minority disadvantages in earnings accounted for by educational attainment

Attainnment Not Oxbridge Not First Equalities Groups Female Older than 25 Disability Employment Status – employed Bar

Location Bar: + London Bar Other professional employment

London  Oxbridge  First  Older than 25  Ethnic minority Location – London v Regions Regions  Not Oxbridge  2:1 or below  Young  White Working class concentration outside London accounted for by attainment factors

Future Research (study 2) Longitudinal Study BVC  entry into pupillage  entry into tenancy BVC 2000 to 2004 model  Secondary schooling  pupillage and tenancy  area of practice  Prevalence of merit selection

Discussion