Movers and Returners
Thursday 22 May 2025 saw The Inner Temple host the first Movers and Returners conference. The initiative, led by the Bar Council and supported by all four Inns, seeks to retain talent, support the progression of all groups at the Bar and assist those wishing to transfer their practice area or status.
There will always be changing trends and profiles within the Bar as we evolve as a profession, but a consistent theme, according to the Bar Standards Board and the Bar Council data, remains the challenge of retention.
Barristers may take time out of practice for many reasons, including maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, caring responsibilities, ill health, further study, time-out or to pursue other ventures. It is also a reality with the pressure of pupillage and early years in practice that many find themselves practising in areas which were not their first choice or where they no longer find meaning, purpose or financial security. A recent Criminal Bar Association survey suggested that one in three were actively considering moving their practice into another discipline.
Time out of practice may be for many reasons, including maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, caring responsibilities, ill health, further study, time-out or to pursue other ventures.
Supporting career breaks, returners and those seeking to move between practice areas is a vital way of encouraging diversity, equality and inclusion. It also fosters the development of richer skill sets and creates opportunities to enhance lived experience, learning and cognitive diversity within the profession – better serving the public and the organisations we work with. Additional skills, qualifications or experiences accrued during career breaks can help practitioners to grow and sustain their careers.
Joint working between the Inns, led initially by Middle Temple, has seen the development of online resources that incorporate guidance, shared lived experiences and skills workshops from professionals to support members navigating the professional, practical and emotional challenges of change.
Master Barbara Mills, the 2025 Chair of the Bar, placed the education, training and wellbeing of the profession within her leadership agenda. Recognising that while the focus for many years had been on widening access to the profession, the consistent theme of retention – and understanding the emerging data on its current impact – had waned. Refreshing the message to the profession that retention remains a key priority for all, alongside continued education and the flourishing of the Bar, is where all the Inns are aligned. In October 2024, we set about the creation of a tasked working group of Inner members and Benchers to develop a programme of support.
The wide and diverse working group included junior, senior, governing and judicial members. The aim of our work was to provide positive leadership and support with practice planning, managing career breaks, navigating return challenges and supporting continuing education for those considering pursuing or returning from breaks, or seeking to transfer areas and status.
After creating a specific web page within the Inns’ platform to collate and provide access to existing guidance and resources for members, we identified further useful areas and issues for discussion through analysis of recent data gathered on the profession. Drawing together the aims and objectives in a practical and discursive interactive conference allowed delegates to attend a free one-day event for CPD and networking.
Drawing together the aims and objectives in a practical and discursive interactive conference allowed delegates to attend a free one-day event for CPD and networking.
We had 96 delegates in attendance, plus two babies, and a wait list for others. Of these, 41% were Inner members, 20% Lincoln’s, 19% Middle, 9% Gray’s and 11% ‘other’, comprising students and solicitors in the process of transferring. The Inn was a buzz on the day of the conference. Delegates found a safe and supportive space to engage with sessions, approach speakers and mentors with questions, and share learning. The working group and Inns’ teams, which extended to the librarians (following their helpful materials for returning to research and library use), received a lot of positive feedback on the day from participants.
There was extensive positive social media feedback sharing gratitude, impact and encouragement to others regarding the initiative. The feedback captured the demographics, learning outcomes and future needs of the delegates. The motivation for attending the conference was very broad, with an equal 15% interest from those currently on a break from practice (other than maternity) and from those moving practice. Only 19% had caring responsibilities, with others wishing to learn more about moving/returning in general. The programme reflected our ‘One Bar’ message, with keynote speakers comprising the Chair of the Bar, judicial leaders and LGBT equality leaders. Their candid and inspiring messages shared their journeys, coaching advice, and personal resilience and reflections. Learning to ‘run your own race’ was Mrs Justice Whipple’s highlight in managing career planning, alongside the necessity to build skills to “be brave” when tackling a difficult moment. Panel sessions shared lived experiences and leadership discussions on best practice. Break-out sessions and presentations were designed to support resilience and confidence, refresh advocacy skills and provide guidance on the financial and practical aspects of practice planning.
The final task of our working group was to make recommendations after reflecting upon the feedback and data. We reflected with a sense of achievement and value for our joint leadership of the Inns’ conference agenda and resources. A final report, shared with the Inns’ Executive Committees, requested the continued recognition of movers and returners as a key focus within the Established Barristers programme. It recommended continued collaborative working between the Bar Council and the Inns, and that specific consideration be given to making advocacy and CPD legal content refreshers available to support members returning to or moving practice. A podcast series of eight episodes is planned to start next term, spotlighting specific themes of moving and returning in practice. Enormous thanks is due to the Education and Training team’s Established Barristers initiative for 2025–26.
Rachel Spearing KC
Serjeant’s Inn Chambers
Vice Chair, Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Sub-Committee