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The Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR) has launched this year’s mentorship scheme for underrepresented groups, with a record 26 leading commercial chambers involved.
This year, COMBAR’s programme offers around 250 aspiring barristers the chance to receive up to five one-to-one mentoring sessions with barristers from some of the country’s leading commercial sets.
As part of the scheme, participants will be invited to a pupillage interview and application workshop, along with a social event planned for early next year. Last year’s event, held at Gray’s Inn, featured a keynote speech by Mr Justice Henshaw, the Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court, delivered to an audience of around 175 mentees
All participating chambers will cover reasonable travel expenses for their allocated mentees, though sessions can also be held remotely if preferred.
Legal Cheek is also pleased to announce it will once again act as exclusive media partner for the programme, ensuring it reaches as many potential applicants as possible.
The scheme supports applicants from under-represented groups at the bar, especially the commercial bar. COMBAR assesses candidates with realistic prospects of obtaining a pupillage based on their need for mentoring and their potential for a career at the bar.
Alexander Gunning KC, chair of COMBAR, commented:
“The promotion of diversity at the Commercial Bar continues to be one of COMBAR’s core aims. It is vital that the Commercial Bar recruits from the most talented future practitioners, including, in particular, those from backgrounds that have traditionally been under-represented.”
Gunning KC continued: “The Mentoring Scheme is now moving into its fourth year and has assisted over 650 mentees to date. It allows applicants from under-representative backgrounds, who meet the requisite standards, to access one-to-one mentoring with practitioners from one of 26 participating sets. It is an important way of promoting access and demonstrating that the Commercial Bar is open to applicants from all backgrounds. I am delighted that this year’s Scheme can build on the success of previous years and I want to thank all those involved volunteering their time to make this happen.”
Applicants wishing to participate in the scheme must complete COMBAR’s application form and email it to socialmobility@combar.com by Friday 17 October 2025 as a PDF with the naming convention “First Name – Surname”. Applicants will be informed as to whether or not they have been accepted onto the scheme within November 2025.
The participating chambers this year are: 3VB, 4 New Square, 4 Pump Court, 7KBW, 11KBW, 36 Stone, Atkin Chambers, Blackstone Chambers, Brick Court Chambers, Devereux Chambers, Essex Court Chambers, Fountain Court Chambers, Gatehouse Chambers, Henderson Chambers, Keating Chambers, Littleton Chambers, Maitland Chambers, Monckton Chambers, One Essex Court Chambers, Quadrant Chambers, Radcliffe Chambers, Serle Court, South Square, Twenty Essex, Wilberforce Chambers, XXIV Old Buildings.
