DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

UK funds 100 additional training places for aspiring criminal barristers

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • The UK government has announced £1.5 million in annual funding for up to 100 additional pupillages for aspiring criminal barristers.
  • The scheme aims to broaden access to the profession and address a shortage of junior advocates in England and Wales.
  • The Criminal Bar Association welcomed the funding as support for a diverse and independent criminal Bar.

The UK government is putting £1.5 million a year into up to 100 additional training places for people seeking to become criminal barristers. The scheme will fund pupillages that otherwise would not exist, giving trainees practical experience, education, supervision and mentoring.

The initiative is designed to open one of the country’s most prestigious professions to talented applicants from every background. It also responds to concerns about a depleted pipeline of junior advocates entering the Criminal Bar.

I’ll never forget the day I was called to the Bar. It was a privilege to enter a profession that can help individuals in times of crisis and support the delivery of justice in this country. I want those opportunities open to the brightest people from all over the country and every background.

— Sarah SackmanThe minister explained why she wants legal careers to become more accessible.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman said her own experience had shown her why access to the profession matters. “I’ll never forget the day I was called to the Bar. It was a privilege to enter a profession that can help individuals in times of crisis and support the delivery of justice in this country. I want those opportunities open to the brightest people from all over the country and every background,” she said.

This major initiative will help train the next generation of criminal barristers who are essential to upholding the rule of law and delivering swifter justice for victims.

— Sarah SackmanStatement on the expected effect of the funding.

Sackman said the investment would train lawyers who help deliver justice to victims and uphold the rule of law. The government also said the legal sector contributes more than £42 billion to the UK economy each year, and that the funding would strengthen its talent base.

The program builds on the Council of the Inns of Court’s match-funding scheme for pupillages and will support additional placements across England and Wales. The Criminal Bar Association called it “a very positive step forward” and said the criminal justice system needs a “vibrant diverse and independent Criminal Bar.”

This is a very positive step forward. The criminal justice System needs a vibrant diverse and independent Criminal Bar to strengthen public cohesion.

— Riel Karmy-Jones and Andrew ThomasThe Criminal Bar Association leaders welcomed the government’s scheme.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog