Parklane Plowden Equality & Diversity Committee Update
Parklane Plowden Chambers has expanded its Equality & Diversity Committee (EDC) which comprises 15 members from staff, barristers and our Equality & Diversity Officers (EDOs), Nicola Twine and Leila Benyounes. The full committee is:
- Nicola Twine
- Leila Benyounes
- Hari Menon
- Philippa Wordsworth
- Elizabeth Jones
- Lucy Bairstow
- Sophie Firth
- Tom Barclay-Semple
- Shabab Rizvi
- Chloe Branton
- Bharat Jangra
- Robert Allen
- Rob Coates
- Emma Frazer
- Francine Whittleston
The work of the EDC remains focussed on actions to ensure regulatory compliance on behalf of Parklane Plowden and improve equality and diversity within Chambers.
In expanding the committee, members have each taken an area of responsibility. Allocated areas include: Pupillage Monitoring; NEC diversity; Women’s Forum and Pledge; Accessibility; Policies; Race Action Plan; and Income Monitoring.
The EDC’s largest piece of work remains income monitoring following the Bar Council’s findings which showed disparity of income between gender.
The EDC has contributed to the review into bullying and harassment at the Bar being led by Harriet Harman KC, who attended Parklane Plowden to discuss the review with Nicola Twine on a visit to the North Eastern Circuit. The report from the review is expected for publication in summer 2025. The EDC will be responding on behalf of Parklane Plowden to the BSB consultation on the proposed revision to equality rules.
