For the first time in its 131 year history, the Bar Council which represents barristers in England and Wales has appointed the first black woman to lead the organisation.
Barbara Mills takes over this year in a profession where there are only 7 other Black female KCs.
In her first broadcast interview, she spoke to Ayshah Tull about breaking the glass ceiling in this historic election and her priorities for the justice system.
Ayshah Tull: Your predecessor described the justice system as ‘in a critical condition’. How would you describe the justice system?
Barbara Mills: Absolutely in a critical condition. The difference now is that it is accepted across the board that the system is in crisis. Endless problems, all of which require investment and focus in order to get us back on track.
Ayshah Tull: I wanted to move on to what is in the political conversation right now, which is public inquiries which are staffed by barristers. I just wondered, what’s your assessment of public inquiries at the moment and whether they’re effective enough?
Barbara Mills: There is a place for public inquiries. The important thing that we have to learn from these inquiries is to implement what the recommendations are.
Ayshah Tull: In particular, the public conversation is about grooming gangs and whether there should be another inquiry.
Barbara Mills: We have had an inquiry into this issue. Professor [Alexis] Jay took seven years looking into this issue in its broadest context. Produced recommendations which have not yet been implemented. The focus of our attention shouldn’t be another inquiry, it should be implementing those recommendations.
Ayshah Tull: Do you feel like the lines are being blurred between political and legal at the moment with this issue?
Barbara Mills: As far as I’m concerned, it detracts in the way that it ought not to. The issues and how it is we come to be in a position where vulnerable young people, mainly women, found themselves in this position.
Ayshah Tull: One of the big family court cases that has been under scrutiny is the Sara Sharif case. What is your view on what might have gone wrong?
Barbara Mills: A great loss for that little girl, first of all. The difficulty is that it really shines a light on the government’s aspiration to halve violence against women and girls, because quite a lot of the time the focus is on the criminal courts. But that little girl, the way in which she ended up living with the people who killed her was resolved in the family courts. And that is why, when we talk about violence against women and girls, we need to really understand that it isn’t just the criminal justice system that is seized of it. It is also the family justice system.
Ayshah Tull: You are in a historic position as chair of the Bar Council, as the first person of colour to hold this role. How much of that responsibility weighs on you personally?
Barbara Mills: You have, on the one hand, those who may be challenged by the fact that you’re a first and the position isn’t normally filled by someone who looks like you. And on the other side, you have the hope of those who do look like you. You want to do it well so that those who can’t imagine the role being filled by you are persuaded and those who look to you to do something different and magical in the space are fulfilled.
Ayshah Tull: When you break the glass ceiling, sometimes there are shards. Have you felt that?
Barbara Mills: I was called to the Bar in October 1990. And there were people who said that the Bar was for a certain kind of person. And so that discomfort of doing it anyway has always been with me. I didn’t need to become Chair of the Bar to break a glass ceiling, to feel the shards. And I can either lean into negativity or I can lean out of it. And so I’ve learnt over the years to lean out of it and focus on the positives.
Ayshah Tull: It’s a good way to be.
Barbara Mills: The only way to be.