Advocate launches YBA: Young Bar Advocate!

Advocate’s 25^th year is an opportunity to reflect on how far pro bono has come and to build foundations for the future.

For the past 25 years, the Bar has been a pillar of the access to justice sector, with many barristers taking on pro bono work to help society's most vulnerable members. However, the legal need for barristers to step forward continues to grow exponentially.

Many young barristers recognise the necessity for access to justice and want to help. Through the launch of YBA, and after what has been a very hard year, Advocate wants to ensure that young barristers feel supported to take on pro bono work and help those in need, while also building their own careers as successful barristers.

We are looking for an executive committee to help set the direction of YBA. Please fill in this short application form to apply to be part of the executive committee. 

Lockdown has made it harder to network, harder to learn from senior members of the Bar and harder to lean on junior colleagues, learning from one another.

Taking on pro bono cases is a brilliant way to grow your practice and improve your skills by choosing challenging cases and gaining real advocacy experience.

Through YBA, members will have the opportunity to build a network of like-minded barristers across England and Wales and across multiple areas of law, to support each other while providing access to justice and building a successful practice. 

To apply to be on the executive committee, please send us this application form. 

Collaborate, a case-based mentoring scheme

The first of many YBA initiatives is a new case-based mentoring scheme, Collaborate.

Seeking to remedy both a lack of networking and support due to the move to remote working, Collaborate offers you the chance to receive 1-1 mentoring from a senior barrister when working on pro bono cases for Advocate. Please see our mentoring page for more information.

Advocate will match you with a senior barrister who will offer telephone support with any case-related queries you have. They will be available to offer general advice on issues, procedural rules or practical advice but will not also form a barrister-client relationship, or offer legal advice.

Simply register your interest in having a mentor when you accept an Advocate case!