1 Chancery Lane publishes its Pride Pledge

News | Wed 30th Jun, 2021

As Pride Month draws to a close, we are pleased to publish our 1CL Pride Pledge.

We are an LGBT+ inclusive and welcoming set. We welcome all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We aim to provide a supportive environment for LGBT+ members, pupils, staff, clients and all visitors to chambers.

We aim to do this by:

1. Always challenging LGBT+ phobic language or behaviour, whether from anyone in our organisation, or directed at anyone in our organisation from anyone dealing with our organisation.
2. Having recruitment and selection processes designed to encourage LGBT+ applicants and to reduce the risk of bias and discrimination against LGBT+ candidates. We will not use recruitment agencies who do not share our values.
3. Ensuring that by 31st December 2021 everyone involved in managing or overseeing our selection processes has had recruitment equality training which included LGBT+ issues.
4. Encouraging LGBT+ people in our organisation to apply for judicial and similar career-advancing appointments. We have a designated barrister for LGBT+ people to go to with any concerns. We bring to the attention of everyone in our organisation and joining our organisation the LGBT+ networks that exist more widely for barristers and all who work with them.
5. Ensuring that we allow everyone individually identified on our website and in our marketing materials to choose their own pronouns if they wish.
6. Ensuring that all members, pupils, staff, clients and visitors know that we welcome partners of any sex or gender at our Chambers events.
7. Working to ensure that by the earliest possible opportunity there is a gender-neutral option for all toilet facilities we offer (including for people with impaired mobility), for which all the signage is gender-neutral.
8. Making it clear in our Parental and Carer’s Leave policy that our policy applies equally to parents in same sex relationships.
9. Monitoring our pledge annually and promoting it on our website.