Tanfield Chambers is a member of the mentoring scheme for groups underrepresented at the Bar, together with 39 Essex Chambers, Cornerstone Barristers, Falcon Chambers, Field Court Chambers, Francis Taylor Building, Gatehouse Chambers, Kings Chambers, Landmark Chambers and No5 Chambers. The Planning and Environmental Bar Association supports the scheme.
The scheme is intended to encourage undergraduates and postgraduates from groups that are not well represented at the Bar to consider becoming barristers. These groups include, among others, women, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, LGBT+ people, people who have spent time in care, people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, people who attended state schools and people who were the first in their family to go to university.
The Bar should be open to all who have the requisite ability, and we hope that the mentoring scheme will continue to help talented individuals who might not think the Bar is for them to understand what the Bar has to offer and how to become a barrister, and to assist in the application process.
The 2026/27 scheme runs from November 2026 to June 2027. Successful applicants will be allocated a mentor from one of the participating sets and will be offered:
– an introductory workshop on the scheme and the work of a barrister
– between three and five one-to-one meetings with their mentor
– a workshop on applications for pupillage
– at least one social event with mentors, mentees and members of the participating sets
Sessions will take place in person where possible, and otherwise by video call. Reasonable travel expenses for in-person sessions will be reimbursed.
Applications
Applications for the 2026/27 scheme are now open. Students can apply from their first year of undergraduate study, in any subject. Applicants must not have already been awarded or started pupillage.
Please read the application guidance and then complete the application form. Completed applications should be emailed to mentoring@cornerstonebarristers.com, and any questions about the scheme can be sent to the same address.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 9 October 2026. Successful applicants will be informed by email by 31 October 2026.
