Reflections on Black History Month: Standing Firm in Power and Pride
In the UK each October we are encouraged to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions black people make to our culture and society. Having been asked to write a short piece for Black History Month, I decided to focus on this year’s theme, “Standing firm in power and pride”, in the context of family law and our profession generally.
According to the web, “standing firm in power and pride” means to hold your ground, maintaining identity, achievements and heritage without compromise, especially when facing adversity. For black people, this could mean overcoming a plethora of obstacles – from assumptions of being incapable, to the absence of role models and allies. For me, as a black family lawyer it is imperative to be determined and resilient.
In the context of Black History Month, “Power” refers to our collective strength and the ability to effect positive change. Therefore, those of us who grow more experienced in our profession can assume responsibility to mentor aspirants during their school and university careers. Whatever position we hold in family law, the fact of our presence is undoubtedly encouragement for others. To see someone in a certain position allows one to imagine the possibility of attainment.
Like many others, I was hugely saddened to learn of the recent death of Courtenay Griffiths, a criminal law barrister, KC and part-time recorder. I first met him when I was a trainee, and was inspired by his achievement and struck by his humility, because although as a black man he had paved a pathway to the higher echelons of our profession and might have rested on his laurels, he chose to use his power generously, always to encourage and inspire those coming behind him. He did so with grace.
Personally, I find the concept of pride a little challenging because, I suspect like many others, I fear any moment one takes to sit proudly to reflect upon a particular achievement, might precipitate the arrival of a personal or professional stumble – pride coming before a fall and all that.
For Black History Month however, pride reflects the affirmation of our heritage, our cultural identity and a time to reclaim and embrace our history. It is a call for celebration of black resilience and brilliance, whilst acknowledging the persistent barriers faced by black communities. In this context, pride encourages us to review the historical and current contributions of black people to society, the struggle for equality, and to use this understanding to inspire others.
As some may be aware, 1 July 2025 saw the inaugural meeting of the UK Association of Black Judges. The very existence of this association serves to inspire others. The ethos is a “foundation of change for those who will come after” in recognition of black under-representation in our profession, especially in the judiciary.
In her inauguration speech, Judge Cordella Bart-Stewart noted the significantly modest cohort within the judiciary who define themselves as black and the need for the system to evolve, to truly reflect our society. Judge Bart-Stewart considers the absence of black judges arises as a consequence of the pool for recruitment often being determined by race and class, and that a “visibly diverse judiciary is a tangible expression of inclusion”. She referenced the 2010 interim report of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Appointments, which said: “failure to appoint well-qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds to judicial office represents exclusion from participation in power”.
The “Diversity of the judiciary: Legal professions, new appointments and current post-holders – 2022” statistics, reports 3% of each total profession (barristers and solicitors) as self-representing as black and stated “recommendation rates from the eligible pool for black candidates were an estimated 75% lower than for white candidates”, and the “shortlisting rate from applications for black candidates (7%) was less than a quarter that of white candidates (29%)”.
Thinking positively, we could say we are at least heading in the right direction by putting ourselves forward for judicial appointment. Rather than becoming disheartened by such statistics, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate both the growing cohort of black lawyers generally and our individual (and inspirational) achievements.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy MP, and Barbara Mills KC, Chair of the Bar Council. (c) Bar Council of England and Wales, September 2025.
Although in the US the 2022 appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first black Supreme Court judge, with her shoulder-length locs, was thrilling, at home, we can be proud of the 2025 appointment of Barbara Mills KC to the position of Chair of the Bar Council, which represents over 18,000 barristers; a hugely significant and encouraging engagement. Barbara is a brilliant lawyer, who happens to be black. Equally powerful, is the somewhat quietly understated yet fabulous 2021 appointment of I. Stephanie Boyce as the first black president of the Law Society, representing 160,000 solicitors on the roll. And finally, as I write, the appointment of David Lammy, a former barrister, to the position of Deputy Prime Minister, a huge achievement.