training for the legal bar between 2004 – 2008: the profile of pupil barristers in england and...

Training for the legal

Bar between 2004 –

2008: the profile of pupil barristers in

England and Wales

Anna Zimdars (Manchester) & Jennifer Sauboorah (Bar Standards Board)

ABFN November 18 2009

Overview

1. Rationale2. Methods 3. Findings4. Future Research5. Discussion

Three Questions about entry to the

Bar

I II III

What should the What is it? How do we profile of entrants be? change it?

Motivation

Equality of Opportunity

Monitoring

ideal research

from cradle to pinnacle of professional lifeattrition at every stage

Leave

Schooling

Leave

University

Legal Training

Leave

Area of practice

Employment status

Promotions

Honours

Salary

Leave

Actual Research Design

1) Who are the pupils? (2004-2008) Context

Low success rate Merit selection

Limitations cross-sectional

Data & Methods (study 1)

Data Source Pupillage survey - High response rate, about 95 % about 2,000 observations for four years (2004-08)

Data details parent occupation, ethnicity, gender, age University first degree, degree class, conversion

course, BVC grade Analysis:

1) Description of pupils2) Pupillage earnings3) Employed or self-employed practice4) Region – London or outside

Pupils Comparison

University

Oxbridge 32 4

Other Russell Group 36 27

Other 32 69

Degree Class

First 26 5

Upper Second 62 50

Lower 12 45

BVC grade

Outstanding 12 7

Pupils:

+ Oxbridge

+ Firsts

+ BVC outstanding

Pupils’ attainment

Pupils’ social background

Pupils:

+ high SES

+ White

+ male

+ not disabled

PupilsCompariso

n

Social class

Professional or Managerial

68 46

Working class 3 19

Ethnicity

White 80 77

Gender

Female 51 58

Disability

Yes 3 5

Pupillage Earnings

Education effects + Oxbridge (+4 to 6 K)

+ First (+4 to 6 K)

+ BVC outstanding (+ 3K)

Remaining effects of social background - female (-1 K)

- older than 25 (-1 K)

Working class and minority disadvantages in earnings accounted for by educational attainment

Attainnment Not Oxbridge Not First

Equalities Groups Female Older than 25 Disability

Employment Status – employed Bar

0

25

50

75

100

London Outside

Bar

Other Professions

Location Bar:

+ London

Bar

Other professional employment

London Oxbridge First Older than 25 Ethnic

minority

Location – London v Regions

Regions Not Oxbridge 2:1 or below Young White

Working class concentration outside London accounted for by attainment factors

Future Research (study 2)

Longitudinal Study

BVC entry into pupillage entry into tenancy

BVC 2000 to 2004 model

Secondary schooling pupillage and tenancy area of practice Prevalence of merit selection

Discussion