Harriet Harman warns bullying and sexual misconduct are systemic in barristers’ chambers
A damning review led by Labour peer Harriet Harman has called for a ban on sexual relations between barristers and their pupils or interns, warning that predatory abuse is rife within chambers.
The report, published on Monday, concluded that bullying, harassment and sexual harassment are entrenched in both chambers and courtrooms across England and Wales. Harman, a former deputy Labour leader, said the profession must face a “moment of reckoning” to end a culture that protects perpetrators while silencing victims.
The recommendations come in the wake of the high-profile case of Navjot “Jo” Sidhu KC, the former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, who was disbarred earlier this year for sexual misconduct towards a young aspiring lawyer. His case, which is under appeal, exposed what Harman described as “systemic issues” surrounding power imbalances and abuse at the bar.
Embed from Getty ImagesQuoting testimonies from victims, Harman’s report painted a bleak picture. One woman recalled that in her first week of pupillage a clerk told her she must sleep with him. She also described being groped by senior members of chambers at social events. Another pupil said she was harassed by an older barrister, making her fear for her safety and question her future in law. A third woman stopped attending social gatherings altogether because the harassment was so “degrading” it made her skin crawl.
Harman wrote: “It must be understood by all in chambers that pupils and junior clerks are there to work, not for the sexual gratification of their seniors. There should be a new rule that it will be serious misconduct if a tenant in chambers has sex with a pupil, with appropriately tough sanctions.”
The review also highlighted widespread bullying by judges, with junior barristers describing being shouted at and humiliated in open court. Many said they had little faith in the current complaints system, fearing that speaking out would end their careers and see them branded as “troublemakers”. Instead, pupils compared notes about dangerous individuals in chambers, while junior barristers vented about bullying judges in WhatsApp groups.
Harman condemned the “culture of collusive bystanding”, where colleagues looked away and failed to act. She insisted that the burden of risk must shift from victims to perpetrators.
Among her 36 recommendations were the creation of a commissioner for conduct, appointed by the Bar Council, to deal with bullying and harassment. She also urged that sanctions against judges should involve independent oversight rather than being left solely to the lady chief justice and lord chancellor. This, she said, would counter the perception that punishments are too lenient and encourage more victims to come forward.
Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar Council, welcomed the report, describing it as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for cultural change. She admitted that while the Council knew the scale of the problem, the stories contained in the review were “uncomfortable reading”. Mills added: “It’s imperative that all barristers have a safe working environment to deliver the best outcomes for their clients.”
For Harman, the message was blunt: unless decisive action is taken, predatory barristers and bullying judges will remain untouchable. “The jeopardy must change from the victim to the perpetrator,” she declared.
The report, if acted upon, would mark the most significant shake-up of professional standards at the bar in decades. For now, its publication has sent shockwaves through the legal world, demanding urgent reforms to safeguard the next generation of lawyers.