11 Sep 2022
"My mentor was invaluable in pushing me to achieve and keeping me accountable. With her encouragement, I went from feeling like an imposter to recognising myself as a serious candidate."
"I would invite all non-traditional applicants to apply for Bridging the Bar programmes. They have substantially improved my confidence and my prospects at the Bar. If your instinct is that you belong at the Bar, but you worry it may not be a space you can thrive in, let them help you prove that anxiety wrong."
"BTB projects have restored my belief that anyone qualified can pursue a career at the Bar, regardless of their background."
"BTB has offered me a valuable support network to gain opportunities that I find difficult to obtain elsewhere. Its work does literally 'bridge' the gap within the Bar, to encourage anyone from any background, creed or colour can succeed at the Bar."
"BTB has been fundamental in instilling confidence in me to believe that I belong at the Bar. My mentor has helped in moments of doubt, with applications and with practical questions on how to get to the Bar. I owe a lot to the charity."
"As I continue my search for pupillage, I am comforted in knowing that BTB will always be there to support me. Navigating the Bar whilst adapting to a new culture is going to be difficult, but BTB is a constant reminder that it does not have to be lonely."
"BTB campaigns have blown the doors wide open for people like me who previously thought they were tightly shut for them. Their initiative has benefitted many like myself to gain vital legal experience such as mini pupillages and internships, which in turn has increased inclusion and diversity into a once thought of closed profession deemed only for the elite who could afford it."