Barristers’ Committee

The Inn’s Barristers’ Committee (GIBC) is the ‘Voice of Hall’ and exists to:

• represent the view of members of Hall who are barristers and are not Masters of the Bench, and to convey those views to the Masters of the Bench
• consider the interests of members of Hall and the Inn
• nominate members of Hall to serve on the Management Committee and other bodies
• discharge such other tasks as may be agreed from time to time between the Committee and the Masters of the Bench

Mentoring Schemes

Members can register for the:

• GIBC Pupil Mentoring Scheme
• GIBC Practitioner Mentoring Scheme.

The GIBC Mentoring Scheme can be a valuable source of support as you go through pupillage, or during your early years of practice.

Barristers’ Committee Activities

The Barristers’ Committee organises a series of Junior Bar Events to encourage members of Hall to become more involved in the Inn’s social scene. Upcoming events will be listed in Events.

• We hold an annual Wellbeing at the Bar event. Previously we have run an ‘open mic’ night in the Bridge Bar, evenings focused on the Bar and social media, quiz nights hosted by Joshua Rozenberg QC,  and a lecture on Financial Planning and Education.  More events will be announced in the near future, and we are always pleased to hear from members of the Inn with ideas or suggestions.
• We have established a mentoring scheme for second-six pupils and junior barristers, and have provided input into changes to the Inn’s website. Individual members of the Committee ‘shadow’ members of the Management Committee to ensure that the interests of barrister members are represented in every aspect of the Inn’s activities.
• Two of the Committee (Birgitte Hagem and Victoria Ellis) sit on the Inn’s Management Committee.  The Barristers’ Committee is often asked for input into decisions affecting the Inn.  We regularly help to coordinate responses from members of the Inn to consultations from the Bar Standards Board. The Barristers’ Committee also provides one of the Inn’s representatives on the Bar Council and to the Inter-Inn Young Bar Working Group.
• The Barristers’ Committee is always pleased to hear from members of Hall with comments, feedback, ideas and suggestions.  Please feel free to approach any of the Committee’s members or to email the Barristers’ Committee

Current committee (2024)

• Chair
  Birgitte Hagem, (2012 Call, Crown Prosecution Service, Employed bar)
• Vice Chair
  Victoria Ellis, (2010 Call, Pump Court Chambers, Self Employed)
• Secretary
  Chiara Maddocks, (2011 Call, Church Court Chambers, Self Employed)
• Treasurer
  Rupert Beloff, (2001 Call, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, Self Employed)

Employed category

• Angharad Hughes (2015 Call, Employed Bar)
• John-Paul Fitzgibbon (2018 Call, Employed Bar)

Self-employed category

• Ivor Frank (1979 Call, Church Court Chambers)
• Amanda Jepson, (2005 Call, 42 Bedford Row)
• Gerwyn Wise, (2010 Call, Garden Court Chambers)
• Ffion Medi Tomos (2011 Call, 30 Park Place Chambers)
• Maxim Cardew, (2012 Call, Maitland Chambers)
• James Sharpe, (2014 Call, 42BR Barristers)

Circuit representatives

• Jamie Scott, (Midland Circuit (2013 Call, Citadel Chambers)
• Helen Gardiner, (North Eastern Circuit, 2007 Call, Kings Chambers)
• Mary Ruck KC, (Northern Circuit (1993 Call, Byrom Street Chambers)

Association of Gray’s Inn Students (AGIS) representatives

• Simon Haywood​, AGIS President
• Louisa Chapman, AGIS Vice President

The tenure of each member of the committee will be for a period of three years. Elections for a third of the committee will take place each year in the Michaelmas term; you can find full details regarding the election process in the Committee’s Constitution which can be found in appendix B of the Inn’s Standing Orders.