Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Social Responsibility & Pro bono
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Blackstone Chambers is firmly committed to acting in a socially responsible manner. A Social Responsibility Committee supports and coordinates Chambers’ policies and the efforts of individual barristers and members of staff.
The organisations and projects we support, include:
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More details10000 Black InternsWhere black students and graduates realise their potential.
Transforming the horizons of young Black talent with paid internships across 25+ sectors.
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More detailsAdvocate Pro Bono PatronBlackstone Chambers is a long term supporter of Advocate and a gold sponsor.
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More detailsBridging the BarBlackstone Chambers is a sponsorship partner of Bridging the Bar – a charity dedicated to making the Bar is accessible for everyone regardless of race, sex, class or other characteristics.
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More detailsFree Representation UnitProviding free legal representation for the public and advocacy experience for junior lawyers.
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More detailsGuy Fox History ProjectAn educational charity with a simple mission: To create innovative activities and publications that encourage children to explore the world around them.
Blackstone Chambers and Guy Fox have worked in partnership on four publications to date: ‘How the World REALLY Works: Our Legal System’ (2013), ‘History Rocks: Magna Carta’ (2015), ‘History Rocks: Women in Law' (2019) and ‘How the World REALLY Works: Dispute Resolution’ (2023).
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More detailsHuman Dignity TrustFounded by Timothy Otty KC in 2011, the Human Dignity Trust is the only organisation working globally to support strategic litigation to challenge laws that persecute people because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
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More detailsSupport Through CourtA charity supporting people who face court alone so that they can represent themselves to the best of their abilities.
PRO BONO WORK
A commitment to pro bono work is an important part of the culture at Blackstone Chambers. The cases in which individual barristers have acted on a pro bono basis include public law interventions for civil society groups and NGOs such as Justice or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and also cases for individuals, which are often referred by Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit) or the Free Representation Unit.
Blackstone Chambers is a long term supporter of Advocate and a gold sponsor. Chambers is also a supporter of the Free Representation Unit or “FRU” since its inception.
Members of Chambers sit on the case review panel for the Advocate and also take on individual case referrals to provide advice or representation.
Details of the variety of pro-bono work undertaken by barristers at Blackstone Chambers are given in the CVs of individual members of Chambers.
ACCESS TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Blackstone Chambers is committed to promoting access to the legal profession and to the bar in particular. There are a number of projects aimed at promoting access to the profession which are supported by financial donations from Blackstone Chambers and by the time and expertise of individual barristers and employed members of Chambers’ management team.
Members of Chambers and staff have been involved for several years with the Lawyers in Schools programme run by the Citizenship Foundation, which supports local schools by providing lawyers to assist with the teaching and discussion of legal issues for schoolchildren between the ages of 12 and 15.
Blackstone Chambers has jointly funded, along with Olswang LLP, the publication of “How the World REALLY Works: Our Legal System”, which is aimed at promoting understanding of the legal profession amongst primary school children.
Blackstone Chambers has also contributed to funding visits for schoolchildren to the Royal Courts of Justice and members of Chambers have staged mock trials for pupils at a London school.
Blackstone Chambers is part of the Pegasus Access Scheme run by Inner Temple, which provides opportunities for a mini pupillage to candidates from backgrounds that have traditionally been underrepresented at the bar.
ENVIRONMENT
Blackstone Chambers seeks to reduce the negative impact of its activities on the environment wherever possible.
There is a comprehensive recycling policy in place for paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, batteries, toner cartridges, and law books. Blackstone Chambers also operates an in-house bottled water system and sources conference refreshments from a company that works with the Rainforest Alliance.
Blackstone Chambers works with an energy consultancy firm to seek to reduce its carbon footprint.
LONDON LIVING WAGE
Blackstone Chambers is an accredited London Living Wage employer. This means that all employees and all contracted cleaning staff are paid at or above a minimum hourly rate which is set annually by the Living Wage Commission. The rate is assessed to ensure that employees earn a wage which meets the real cost of living and working in London.
