Pupils and barristers from Black/Caribbean/African/Black British ethnic groups are particularly underrepresented across the Bar. Black underrepresentation is particularly acute at the civil Bar and, within that, at the commercial Bar.
11KBW is committed to taking real action to address this. We are starting at the beginning. The costs of initial qualification and the existing underrepresentation are barriers to entry to our profession. We recognise the need for financial and other assistance, dedicated to supporting black students on the Bar Course, to encourage bright and ambitious black candidates to apply to the Bar and to consider it as a profession where they are welcome and can develop their potential.
11KBW therefore awards an annual scholarship of £30,000 for a black student on the Bar qualification course.
We are delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2024 11KBW Scholarship. The closing date for applications is Friday 9 February 2024.
The 11KBW Scholarship will provide the successful student with:
- a scholarship award of £30,000 towards tuition fees and maintenance;
- mentoring from members of 11KBW during the BPC and pupillage years;
- a guaranteed assessed mini-pupillage at 11KBW; and
- if the student’s score on the assessed mini-pupillage is within a particular range, relative to other applicants, the offer of a guaranteed interview for pupillage at 11KBW (if the candidate has chosen to apply to 11KBW for pupillage).
Full details of how to apply are at the 11KBW Scholarship website: https://11kbwscholarship.com/.
The 2023 11KBW Scholarship was awarded to Yaade Joba.
Yaade Joba
Yaade is an outstanding lawyer. He has a First Class Law degree and Distinction in his LLM in Employment, Work and Equality. He has worked as a trade union representative for The Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union and in the Employment team at Leigh Day. Yaade ran the Bristol chapter of the Nightline Association: as the University of Bristol said “While most of us were sleeping, Yaade Joba was changing lives”.
