BABY AT THE BAR: 16 Questions

Thank you for agreeing to be involved in our project. We are enormously grateful. Everything you say will remain anonymous. We underline this point because in trying to build a resource that will be of genuine use and comfort to those coming after us, we ask you to trust us with the information that is unlikely to end up on LinkedIn or in glossy career profiles. We hope to draw together the unvarnished (and sometimes ugly) truth of the experience of parenthood at the Bar: the things you admit only to your partner, inner circle of friends, closest colleagues.
There is a place for “Keep Calm and Carry on” wisdom, but that place is not this survey. We invite you to make your answers as long as they need to be. Even if you think otherwise, your experience is valuable.
1.What was your biggest concern when you were thinking about having a baby/became pregnant/found out you were to become a parent?
2.What (if any) work-related challenges arose while you were pregnant (or discovered you were to become a parent) and/or on parental leave?
3.What worked/didn’t work about your working patterns when you returned to work and how, if at all, did these change over time?
4.Is there a form of support and/or any specific advice you were not provided with before/on return to practice which you would have found helpful?
5.Did you face any financial challenges as a result of becoming a parent while continuing a career at the Bar and if so what would it have helped you to know from the outset?
6.Have you ever encountered any difficulties as a result of being both a parent and barrister (e.g. unaccommodating clerks/solicitors/leaders, court sitting hours, challenges breastfeeding/pumping in Chambers/court, childcare emergencies, sexism, or anything else: please be as specific as possible and as lengthy as you need to be).
7.What have you found most helpful in surmounting the challenges inherent in parenting at the Bar (feel free to name more than one thing).
8.Are there any practices/behaviours at the Bar which are unhelpful to parents that you have observed/experienced? (if so how do you think these should change?)
9.How many children do you have? If you have more than one child, how did the challenges you faced change as your family expanded?
10.Do you have/have you had any other caring responsibilities and if so how have these impacted on the challenges you have faced as a parent at the Bar?
11.What is the funniest thing that happened to you while juggling parenting responsibilities and practising at the Bar? (even if you couldn't laugh about it at the time)
12.What is the best practical piece of advice you would give your past self about parenting at the Bar?
13.What is your main area of practise?
14.How many years call are you?
15.What is your gender?
16.If you would be willing to speak to one of us (briefly, and with the assurance that everything you say will remain anonymous) about your experiences, please leave your email address here.
Current Progress,
0 of 16 answered