Disability's Not A Bar

For our Season 2 Finale, we are joined by the wonderful Jessikah Inaba. You may recognise Jessikah from the huge media attention generated as the first black, blind person to be called to the Bar of England and Wales. Jessikah has appeared in British Vogue, on This Morning and across the news. In this special, extra long finale episode, we talk to Jessikah about her time in education and studying...

“Be the Bar that you want to see” - Ambiya Khatun joins us on this episode to discuss a very rare and, due to media such as the film ‘Split’, often misunderstood condition; Disassociate Identity Disorder. We are grateful to Ambiya for sharing the story of her (and the girls') system and journey to the bar, as well as wider discussion of race and disability, gaining non-mini-pupillage experienc...

Can you have a career at the Bar with autism? Deborah Revill, a barrister at One Pump Court, joins us for this episode to show that you can; many of the traits are positive for the Bar. For Deborah, this is a hyper focus on immigration law and an eye for detail. Her journey has not all been smooth, however. Listen to this episode to find out more!

Peter Tongue joins us this week to discuss practice in Canada with cerebral palsy as a criminal defence attorney. Since leaving practice, he has focussed on disability issues and policy development. We also discuss para-sport and Peter's wheelchair fencing!

In this episode, it's just the hosts with a mid-season update. We discuss a celebrity book that we are mentioned in, review this year's pupillage season and get frank about health. We wanted to take a break from guests to give you these updates and explain why our episodes have been sporadic! We hope that you enjoy!!

In this episode, we talk to Diego F Soto-Miranda, a practicing barrister on commercial, defamation and human rights from 1 Essex Court Chambers. We talk with Diego about having spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and how he manages his practice with the physical help and support. We also talk about the positives of supportive influences and what drives us through the profession.

We are delighted to be joined in this episode by Bar student Holly Parker who discusses her experience of having lupus. As a member of Bringing Disability to the Bar and having been the wonderful Christina Warner’s assistant (warning: this episode contains some fangirling!) This episode comes at a perfect time for those preparing for pupillage interviews. Holly discusses scholarship applications a...

In this episode we are joined by former barrister, teacher and Chair of the Haemophilia Society, Clive Smith, who discusses growing up with the blood disorder haemophilia, life at the Bar, leaving on good terms and teaching since. This is a delightful episode that the hosts enjoyed recording. Congratulations to all of our listeners who submitted pupillage applications this week! 

In today's episode, former solicitor, barrister and deputy District Judge Stephane Osborne discusses changing career paths, the importance of self-advocating and what practice has been like with bipolar disorder.

Rounding out 2022 is one of our most enjoyable episodes to record. Joined by Em Lawton to discuss her accident, her journey to the Bar as a career changer and her training in schools, this episode finishes the podcast's year on a high. Thank you for listening and Happy New Year to all of our listeners!

In an episode recorded last year, we bring you this episode where guest Rhys Brown discusses epilepsy and how his interest in the law developed from the discrimination faced by his school.

We are delighted to be joined by Faisel Sadiq for our third episode in this series. Faisel is a property barrister at Gatehouse Chambers and is the Chair of the Bar Counsel's Disability Panel. He discusses his work, the importance of outreach and support within the profession as well as his condition, Ankylosing Spondylitis.

In the second episode of our new season, we are joined by bar course student Emily Mae Christie who discusses her career to the Bar with EDS and having a hip replacement. Emily also discusses working within the courts and the impact that this has had on her journey.

Welcome back! In our first episode of season 2, we are joined by the wonderful Christina Warner to talk about her career and progressive sight loss. Recording on the hottest day of the year, we were a little delirious but tune in for a chat about disability, pride and embracing change.

Wow... The end of season 1 is here! Thank you to everybody who has made this season possible, and to all of our supporters on social media. In this special finale episode, your co-hosts Charlotte and Haleemah summarise what we have learned from the 13 amazing guests that we interviewed this season. We also discuss some personal and career updates that we have been keeping quiet about! See you all...

In our final guest episode of season 1, Irish barrister Lorraine Lally discusses practicing with epilepsy, her challenges with telling others, her work with immigration law and devilling at the Law Library. 

In our penultimate guest episode of the series, Daniel Taylor talks to us about access during studies, changing career path, illness during the pupillage season and how having a disability can feel like a part-time job!

In our penultimate guest episode of series one, Barrister Colin Wells talks to us about his experience of Parkinson's, how it has changed his approach to practice, and the support of Chambers and the profession

After a pause to get through the pupillage application season, we return with a guest who we have hoped to have on as a guest for a long time - Daniel Holt (@daniel_p_holt). Daniel's activism supersedes him and he talks to us about his journey to becoming a future pupil barrister and having cerebral palsy.

We are joined in this episode by Judge Vee Munro who discusses losing her sight whilst at the Bench and how she had adapted since.

Elijah Granet joins us in our tenth episode to discuss his journey to the Bar with autism, his choice to come to the UK, education, and being an educator. Elijah is a future pupil barrister at the employed Bar and talks about the benefits of finding the right path for you.

We are delighted that, for our final episode of 2021, we are joined by our first Judge, Zoe Passfield. In this episode, we discuss Zoe's journey to the bench, her hearing loss, and adaptations that assist her work. 

In this episode, the hosts talk with their friend Taylor Blair about what her path to the Bar has been like with arthritis, her diagnosis journey, and pursuing the Bar in England as a Canadian.

In this episode, Konstantina discusses her ongoing journey to the Bar, the hurdles and the Inn's PASS scheme, as well as her role as President and Founder of a new initiative Bringing (Dis)Ability to the Bar (@BDABarOrg) which aims to bring accessibility to the Bar.

In this episode, barrister Joshua Hitchens talks to us about practice at the Bar with dyspraxia, including his challenges in education, pupillage, and finding the best practice area for him.