Barristers' Working Lives 2017

Barristers' attitudes towards their working lives

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted by IES in partnership with Employment Research Ltd on behalf of The Bar Council. The survey, the third in the Working Lives series, aimed to gather barristers' attitudes towards their working lives and offer an improved evidence base upon which The Bar Council can formulate new policies and monitor trends in the profession.

The report offers findings on barristers' sentiments with regards to their interest and enthusiasm for their jobs, alongside areas such as work pressures, stress and psychological and mental wellbeing. It also considered professional development and career progression. A total of over 4,000 barristers responded to the survey and respondents broadly reflected the whole Bar.

Key findings including the results that less than half of barristers reported that they could balance their home and working lives satisfactorily, whilst around 60 per cent felt that they were under too much pressure from work. Nonetheless, almost nine in ten (89%) barristers across all areas of practice agreed that they found their work interesting.