Equality & Diversity

The members of Old Square Tax Chambers (“Chambers”) are committed to ensuring an absence of direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Equal opportunities and diversity policy

The Policy

1. The aims of this policy is to declare the commitment of Old Square Tax Chambers to the
   practical application and promotion of principles of equal opportunities and diversity
2. This Equal Opportunities Policy is established in order to comply with the requirements
   of the Bar Standards Board Handbook paragraph rC110.1.
3. There is an additional requirement for a written plan implementing this policy under BSB
   Handbook paragraph rC110.2, which plan forms the Appendix to this Policy.
4. The members of chambers, individually and collectively, are committed to:
   1. equality of opportunity irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender assignment/reassignment, disability, age, religion or belief, political persuasion, pregnancy or maternity and marital or civil partnership status. These are known collectively, as “protected characteristics.
   2. The maintenance of good equal opportunities practice in all matters related to chambers’ activities, including its management and development.
5. Good equal opportunities practice shall be maintained, in particular, but not only in relation to: recruitment of pupils and tenants, fair access to work, maternity, paternity and parental leave, flexible and part-time working and career breaks, harassment, provision of services, staff in chambers and complaints and grievances.
6. In maintaining good equal opportunities practice, the Head of Chambers, the Equal Opportunities Officer and all members shall have regard to the rules in the BSB Handbook and the guidance in the BSB Equality Rules Handbook.
7. Chambers is opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination, including:
   1. Direct discrimination – less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic;
   2. Indirect discrimination – the unjustifiable application of an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice the effect of which is to put a person at a particular disadvantage (for reasons connected with a protected characteristic);
   3. Discrimination connected with disability – unjustified less favourable treatment for a reason related to a person’s disability;
   4. Victimisation – the subjection of one person by another to a detriment because they have done, or the victimiser believes that the other person has done or may do, a protected act such as:
      1. making an allegation of discrimination;
      2. giving evidence in proceedings relating to an act or acts of discrimination;
      3. bringing proceedings relating to an act or acts of discrimination.

Complaints

8. Complaints in respect of alleged breaches of good equal opportunities practice shall be made in accordance with the Internal Grievance Procedure for Chambers. All complaints of discrimination, harassment or victimisation will be treated confidentially, seriously and promptly.

Equal Opportunities Officer

9. The Chambers shall have an Equal Opportunities Officer, who shall be the Equality and Diversity Officer in accordance with paragraph rC110.3(a) of the BSB Handbook. The current office-holder is: Mr Rory Mullan KC.

Diversity Data

10. In line with BSB Handbook paragraphs rC110(3) (n) – (t) Chambers has a Diversity Data Officer. The current office-holder is: Ms Harriet Brown

11. Chambers will provide the name and contact details of the Diversity Data Officer to the Bar Standards Board and must notify the Bar Standards Board of any change to the identity of the Diversity Data Officer, as soon as reasonably practicable.
12. The Diversity Data Officer will carry out the following tasks in accordance with BSB
    Handbook paragraphs rC3(3)(q) – (t).
    1. The Diversity Data Officer shall invite the members of the Chambers and staff to provide diversity data in respect of themselves to the Diversity Data Officer using the prescribed model questionnaire set out in the BSB Equality Rules Handbook.
    2. The Diversity Data Officer shall ensure that such data is anonymised and that an accurate and updated summary of it is published on chambers’ website every three years, provided that it is possible to do so without breaching confidentiality.
    3. The published summary of anonymised data shall: (i) exclude diversity data relating to the characteristics of sexual orientation and religion or belief, unless there is consent from each of the members of the workforce; (ii) exclude diversity data in relation to any characteristic where there is a real risk that individuals could be identified, unless all affected individuals consent; and (iii) (subject to the foregoing) include anonymised data in relation to each characteristic, categorised by reference to the job title and seniority of the workforce.
13. The provision of diversity data is voluntary and consent will be obtained from Members of Chambers and staff to the provision and processing of their diversity data in accordance with this policy, in advance of collecting their diversity data.

Implementation

14. Responsibility for implementation of this policy lies with the Senior Clerks, reporting to the Equality & Diversity Officer order to implement the policy, Chambers shall:
    1. Provide access to this policy in hard copy and by access to a shared folder on OneDrive maintained by Chambers;
    2. Require all members, pupils and employees to acknowledgement that they have read and understood the policy; and
    3. Provide training and guidance.

This version of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy was adopted by chambers on 20 July 2020.