The Diversity and Inclusion Statement for the Bar on the use of Panel Counsel applies to the Attorney General’s Civil and EU Panel of Counsel and, where relevant, to GLD’s use of counsel on other panels and to King’s Counsel appointed on nomination by the Attorney General. It also commits GLD to supporting diversity on the Special Advocate panels, which are recruited through a separate process.
How the panels work
According to GLD’s panel guidance, the Attorney General maintains panels of junior counsel to undertake civil and EU work for all government departments, which “must use the panels”. The system is made up of London, Regional and Public International Law panels, each split into A, B and C panels by experience, from those generally with over 10 years’ advocacy experience on the A panel to those generally with 2 to 5 years on the C panel. London and Regional panel appointments last five years. Following the 2026 London competitions, 192 new appointees were announced in September 2026.
The announcement stresses that the statement “does not change the appointments process”, which remains a merit-based competition. It focuses instead on how GLD and chambers work together once counsel are appointed, “including how fairly work is distributed across the panel.”
Expectations of chambers
The statement says GLD expects chambers’ clerks to apply it and the panel arrangements when allocating cases. Chambers with panel members are expected to:
- provide appropriate training and guidance for clerks on the fair and inclusive allocation of work;
- ensure fair access to the range of work available within chambers, addressing any significant differences;
- monitor allocation of work across all protected characteristics and take action where needed, reporting any such measures to GLD on request.
Where necessary, GLD will ask chambers to evidence the measures they have in place and how they intend to address any underrepresentation. Its key commitments include “engagement with chambers where our expectations are not being met.”
Self-declaration and monitoring
Applicants to the panel “must make regular declarations about protected characteristics and socio-economic background when requested”, and non-panel counsel, including King’s Counsel, may also be asked. The data will be used on an anonymised basis to monitor representation on the panel and “the distribution of work and fee payments across different groups”. It will not be visible to those assessing panel applications, and everyone may choose “Prefer not to say”.
The GLD Panel Counsel Team is responsible for monitoring equality, diversity and inclusion, and compliance with the statement will be reviewed regularly. The statement says its commitments are closely aligned with the Bar Standards Board’s Equality and Diversity Rules, compliance with which is monitored separately.
What they said
Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP said: “Government should be able to call on the best legal talent this country has to offer, wherever it comes from.”
Douglas Wilson KC (Hon) OBE, Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary, said: “Government has access to an exceptional pool of legal talent through the Attorney General’s panels. Making full use of that expertise helps us deliver stronger legal advice, better decision-making and better outcomes for the people we serve.”
Bar Council Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC, quoted in the announcement, said: “I welcome the commitments launched today, aimed at ensuring that the government benefits from the breadth of talent at the Bar, and importantly, builds a pipeline of talent for the future. However, the key is implementation and monitoring progress, and we look forward to seeing change.”
The panel guidance notes that appointment “cannot be a guarantee that work will be available”, although the intention is that each advocate appointed should receive at least a minimum amount of work.