Pupils and barristers from Black/Caribbean/African/Black British ethnic groups are particularly underrepresented across the Bar when compared to the proportion of the UK working age population from these groups. Black underrepresentation is particularly acute at the civil Bar and, within that, at the commercial Bar. As the Bar Council said in its most recent ‘Race at the Bar’ report, the Bar’s response “must be to double down, to ensure we make better progress, more quickly, in future”, and to work together as a profession to make the Bar more inclusive and accessible for every aspiring and practising barrister, irrespective of their background.

11KBW and 39 Essex Chambers recognise that a range of ethnic minority and other underrepresented groups experience prejudice and disadvantage at the Bar. But there is evidence that Black applicants and barristers suffer specific disadvantage and underrepresentation, in particular in areas of practice where there has been entrenched underrepresentation.

11KBW and 39 Essex Chambers are 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 Practice Course (BPC), 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.

As a specific and practical response to the underrepresentation of pupils and barristers from Black/Caribbean/African/Black British ethnic groups at the Bar, since 2021 11KBW has offered an annual scholarship of £30,000 for a Black student on the BPC.

From 2026, 11KBW and 39 Essex Chambers will co-sponsor two annual scholarships of £30,000.

The 11KBW / 39 Essex Chambers Scholarship will provide each of the two annual scholarship recipients with:

  • A scholarship award of £30,000 towards tuition fees and maintenance.
  • If the recipient chooses to apply to 11KBW or 39 Essex Chambers for pupillage, automatic advancement through the first stages of the pupillage application process as follows:
    • At 11KBW, (a) a guaranteed assessed mini-pupillage; and (b) a guaranteed pupillage interview, if their score on the assessed mini-pupillage is within a particular range, relative to other applicants.
    • At 39 Essex Chambers, a guaranteed first round interview.

(These differences simply reflect the differences between the two chambers’ respective pupillage application processes generally.)

  • Mentoring from members of 11KBW or 39 Essex Chambers during the BPC and pupillage years. If the recipient undertakes pupillage at 11KBW, mentoring during the pupillage year would be provided by members of 39 Essex Chambers only and vice versa.
  • The two successful candidates will be offered a choice of the advantages above as between 11KBW and 39 Essex Chambers. If both candidates choose the same Chambers, which of those candidates is offered the advantages at 11KBW and which of those candidates is offered the advantages at 39 Essex Chambers will be determined by random determination.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the 11KBW / 39 Essex Chambers Scholarship, applicants will be required to have:

  • one of the following categories of ethnicity: Black African; Black British; Black Caribbean; Black Other; Mixed – White and Black Caribbean; Mixed – White and Black African; or Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black British, Black Caribbean or Black Other);
  • obtained an undergraduate degree at a UK university with final degree classification;
  • been assessed as a ‘home’ student for fees purposes during their UK undergraduate degree; and
  • before the scholarship is awarded, confirmation of a place on a BSB-accredited Bar course at an approved UK provider.

Selection Panel

The successful 11KBW scholarship candidate will be selected by a panel comprised of members of 11KBW and 39 Essex Chambers and the following two external assessors.

Dr Maggie Semple OBE

Maggie works with many public and private sector organisations at a senior level on leadership development, cultural change and organizational development.

She has held a number of senior roles including being a member of several high profile Government and EU task groups and has represented the UK in Greece and Hong Kong. From 2001-2007 Maggie was a Civil Service Commissioner. From 2017-2022, Maggie was a member of the King’s Counsel Appointments Selection Panel.

Maggie is a Fellow of the City & Guilds Institute, a trustee of the Kerry Nicholls Dance Company and a Governor of the South Bank Arts Centre.

Paul McFarlane

Paul is a partner at Capsticks solicitors, specialising in employment law.

He is a former Chair of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), and the first Chair of ELA with Afro-Caribbean heritage. Paul is a member of the Industrial Law Society Law Society Employment Law Committee, Black Solicitors Network, Board Member, an Appointment Panel Member of IMPRESS (Press Regulator) and an external assessor for the College of Policing.

Application Process

Applications for the 2026 scholarship are now closed. The results will be announced in May 2026.

Applications for the 2027 scholarship will open in January 2027. Further details will be posted on this website nearer the time.