The bar has made significant progress combating discrimination in the legal profession, but there’s some way to go yet. It’s not just our female colleagues who are concerned about barristers’ and judges’ membership of the Garrick Club (Legal profession’s most powerful among members of London’s men-only Garrick Club, 19 March).
It is a tradition at the bar that after a long trial with numerous defendants, a case dinner is held to which defence, prosecution and judge are invited. This reinforces the idea that we share a joint loyalty to the principle of justice that overrides our individual loyalties to clients. Recently a colleague was arranging just such a dinner, to be held at his club – the Garrick. He seemed genuinely surprised when I and others, including female barristers, declined to attend because we would not feel comfortable enjoying the hospitality of such a discriminatory institution. Surely my eminent legal friends can grasp the simple concept that if you don’t want look like you are sexist, you should not join a club that is institutionally sexist.
Paul Keleher KC
London
