Equality and diversity at the Scottish Bar
The pursuit of justice and fairness are at the heart of the professional life of an Advocate. For many, the attainment of justice and fairness drives our commitment to legal practice as Advocates. With this observation, it should come as no surprise that the Faculty of Advocates promotes, and is committed to, equality and diversity within the profession of Advocate. This is achieved through our Equality & Diversity Committee and illustrated by our many initiatives narrated here.
Advocacy before Scotland’s courts is mentally and academically highly demanding. Meeting this challenge means Faculty must continue to attract the brightest and most able. Therefore, our objective is to eliminate barriers to excellence entering the profession of Advocate. Faculty ought to be a place of equal opportunity, with high standards of competence; Advocacy requires and rewards excellence.
This matters because the Faculty of Advocates forms a fundamental pillar of Scotland’s justice system and is a leading public institution. The senior judiciary of Scotland, contains, and will continue to contain, many former practising members of Faculty.
In addition, our institution shapes the law of Scotland that governs and affects us all. Achieving representation that reflects society is important to us, and the people of Scotland.
In recognition of the importance of equality and diversity, Faculty promotes many and various initiatives to encourage access for those with ability and dispel myths that can – unfairly – calcify around a 500-year-old institution.
Despite being a body of self-employed individuals, Faculty fosters a strong community of Advocates from a wide range of backgrounds. I encourage you to review a selection of biographies from Advocates explaining their interesting and unique paths to calling to the Scottish Bar, as well as consider the range of initiatives run by Faculty. They are all voluntary, conducted by self-employed practitioners – in the best traditions of the Faculty of Advocates.