Diversity

QEB is committed to providing equal opportunities to our members, pupils, employees, clients, and all we meet on a professional basis at work and at the Bar.

• QEB does not tolerate any unlawful or unfair discrimination, and anyone found to be acting in a discriminatory manner will face disciplinary action.
• Everyone has a duty to report unlawful or unfair discriminatory behaviour. We actively promote equality of opportunity and require everyone to contribute towards achieving this objective.
• We believe that treating people with dignity and respect is an important part of realising equal opportunities and diversity.

In line with our values, we have a plan of action in relation to equality and diversity characteristics of race, age, disability, religion or belief, gender, and sexual orientation, marital/civil partnership status, gender re-assignment, and maternity/pregnancy, socio-economic background and caring responsibilities with reference to the same areas/topics as set out in the recommended actions in the Race at the Bar report (2021): access, retention, progression and culture.

Diversity Data

The Bar Standards Board Code of Conduct states that a summary of the Diversity Data of workforce of chambers be published on chambers’ website every three years. The summary for our 2025 data for Age, Gender and Ethnicity, can be found here.

QEB is proud of the wider diversity among its workforce. We are a relatively small set of chambers and the Bar Standards Board requirements provide that data will not be published where there are fewer than ten individuals within a particular job category with the same relevant characteristic, unless each such individual has consented.

But we are proud to confirm we have members of our workforce who would describe themselves as gay / lesbian or bisexual. There are also disabled members. We can also confirm the following:-

• 49% of our work force attended a state-run school.
• 29% of our workforce are a primary carer for children under 18. (44% of our silks and 28% of our junior tenants fall in this category).

Ethnicity

QEB is committed to being an anti-racist organisation. We believe that means not merely refraining from acting in a racially discriminatory way, but taking proactive steps to confront and remedy the effects of existing and systemic racism in all its forms within our organisation and in our work.

Since 2023 we have hosted intern as part of the Bar’s collective participation in the #10,000 Black Interns scheme.

More information can be found on the 10,000 Black Interns Foundation website.