Wellbeing at the Bar online portal launched to provide mental health support to barristers

The Bar Council, Inns of Court and the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks have together launched an online portal aimed at supporting barristers in terms of wellbeing and mental health.

The Wellbeing at the Bar Portal aims to support barristers, clerks and chambers by providing helpful contacts and information on mental health, as well as a place for people to share their experiences and advice. Users of the portal will also be able to view chambers’ wellbeing policies and activities.

The portal has been welcomed by the chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimee Doerries QC, who commented: “Every piece of content on the Wellbeing at the Bar portal is about sharing best practice for dealing with the stresses and strains of practice and ensuring that support is available to all to meet the challenges of life at the Bar. The website provides information and skills to help barristers and those they work with to stay well. Our main aim in producing and promoting this new portal is to encourage barristers, clerks and others to recognise and address the negative effects of working in a high pressure environment at an early stage, before they risk getting out of hand. Equally, we hope that those already in need of help will use this website as a first port of call for getting help.”

Meanwhile Rachel Spearing, barrister and co-founder of the Wellbeing at the Bar initiative, said: “Until a couple of years ago, wellbeing and mental health were not talked about by the profession. It was seen as a sign of weakness, though we all knew it was an issue. Thanks to the survey in 2014, the subsequent report and efforts right across the Bar to raise this as an issue of high importance which can impact on our performance as barristers, wellbeing and mental health now loom large on the Bar’s and the wider legal sector’s agenda. Putting this support online means anyone, at any time can go on the portal from anywhere to access what they need. But this website is only the beginning. The portal will evolve with more resources over time. We now want the Bar to give us feedback as well as take important advice from it. We are also planning further initiatives, such as wellbeing, training and more.”