Black History Month 2026 celebrates the achievements, contributions and history of Black people in Britain. This year’s theme is “Honouring Our Communities”. To mark the event, Oluwapelumi Amanda Adeola of Trinity Chambers asked colleagues from across the law what BHM means to them. Here she speaks to barrister, Ruth Reid.
Ruth Reid, Criminal Barrister at Three Temple Gardens
Has your understanding of community influenced your approach to clients and case management?
Yes, it certainly has. Having a broader worldview and an appreciation of the nuances, and sometimes overlaps, within distinct communities, while also recognising individual differences, needs and preferences, has significantly influenced and assisted my approach to clients and case management.
I view clients and case management holistically. When people approach counsel, they do not leave their community, culture, background or lived experiences behind.
Those things remain an important part of who they are and can influence how they understand their circumstances, how they communicate, how they respond to particular situations and what they need from their legal representatives. For me, understanding the individual therefore means having an appreciation of the wider context in which they live, rather than viewing them solely through the lens of their legal problem.
I believe that being a great advocate involves more than simply having legal knowledge. It also requires a strong understanding of the wider world and of the different communities, cultures and experiences that shape people’s lives. Having a strong sense and understanding of community positively contributes to this. It enables me to recognise features of a client’s circumstances or a particular case that may require a slightly different approach, greater sensitivity or additional consideration.
Growing up within a strong Caribbean community, and being heavily involved in wider community issues, celebrations and activities, including various annual multicultural festivals and celebrations, has shaped my understanding of the importance of community and belonging. The active presence of community centres and community engagement also played a significant role in my upbringing and contributed to my wider worldview. I have grown up interacting with and living alongside people from a range of communities, cultures, races and religions, and I think that exposure has given me a genuine appreciation of the fact that there is no single or universal lived experience.
It has also taught me to approach conversations with an open mind and without assumptions, while remaining sensitive to the different lived experiences, backgrounds and intersections that can influence an individual’s circumstances. I try to understand what is important to each client as an individual, rather than assuming that their experiences or preferences can be understood simply by reference to the community or background with which they may identify.
Ultimately, I believe this helps clients to feel more at ease, heard and understood. It allows me to build stronger professional relationships and, importantly, to provide a more person-centred approach to advocacy and case management. It also helps me to identify issues or considerations that might otherwise be overlooked, ensuring that the client’s circumstances are properly understood and that my advocacy is responsive to the individual rather than simply applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Can you share an example of where community values or cultural understanding made a meaningful difference to a case or client relationship (without breaching confidentiality)?
One example was recognising the uncommon religious observances of a particular client and understanding the significance these had for them. Rather than viewing their religious commitments as a peripheral issue, I recognised that they were an important part of the client’s identity, values and lived experience and impacted on how they presented in court and gave evidence.
This understanding enabled me to communicate the relevant considerations to the court at an early opportunity and advocate for reasonable adaptations that could be facilitated to respect and accommodate the client’s religious observances. This included ensuring that the client’s religious commitments were properly understood and considered when considering how the matter could be progressed.
I felt that this made a meaningful difference because it demonstrated to the client that their beliefs and cultural identity were respected and that these could be appropriately considered within the legal process. It also reinforced for me the importance of taking the time to understand each client as an individual, rather than making assumptions about their circumstances or treating their case purely as a legal matter.
For me, this is an important aspect of effective advocacy and case management. Understanding different communities, cultures and religious practices allows me to identify issues that may otherwise be overlooked and to ensure that clients feel heard, respected and properly represented.
Advocacy often focuses on legal principles, but clients’ lives are shaped by much more than the law. To what extent do you consider those lived experiences are relevant to court proceedings and how do you ensure those lived experiences are effectively communicated to the court?
I particularly enjoy applying these principles in my closing speeches to juries, where I often remind them that there is real value in recognising the beauty of community, diversity and individual difference. People come from very different backgrounds and can have very distinct lived experiences, perspectives, preferences and opinions.
Those differences do not necessarily mean that one person’s experience or response is inherently wrong simply because it differs from what another person may consider to be the norm.
I think lived experience is highly relevant to court proceedings because it can provide important context for understanding an individual and the circumstances in which particular events have occurred. Our experiences shape how we see the world, how we communicate, how we respond to certain situations and, importantly, what we understand or do not understand. An individual’s upbringing, community, culture, socioeconomic circumstances, education and previous experiences can all influence their knowledge, understanding and perception of the law.
Lived experience can also affect an individual’s exposure to criminality or other legal issues. Certain individuals and communities may have experiences that are very different from those of the people assessing their actions. Recognising this does not mean excusing unlawful behaviour or asking the court to disregard the law. Rather, it is about ensuring that the court has the fullest and most accurate understanding of the person and the circumstances before making an assessment or decision.
As an advocate, I therefore see part of my role as ensuring that relevant lived experiences are communicated in a way that is both meaningful and legally appropriate. I try to identify the aspects of a client’s background and circumstances that genuinely assist the court in understanding the evidence or the individual, and then present those matters clearly and sensitively without making assumptions or stereotypes.
This is particularly important when addressing a jury. I want jurors to understand that their own experiences are not necessarily universal and that they should be cautious about judging another person’s actions solely through the lens of their own lives.
Effective advocacy, in my view, involves helping the court to understand the individual within the reality of their own circumstances, while still applying the relevant legal principles fairly and objectively.
Ultimately, I strongly believe, and seek to reflect in my practice, that an individual and their lived experience cannot be separated from the legal principles applicable to their case. The two are not necessarily distinct or separate; rather, understanding the individual and the context of their experiences can be essential to applying and presenting those legal principles appropriately.
Oluwapelumi Amanda Adeola is a barriter at Trinity Chambers and a member of Resolution’s EDI committee
Read the full article in The Review
