More than £75,000 has been pledged so far through partnership schemes, and BARBRI is working with charities such as refugee charity Breaking Barriers, firms including Linklaters, paralegal employer Flex Legal and universities to help boost accessibility. The education provider runs Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation courses, as well as other courses.
The BARBRI Bridges initiative adheres to four pillars when forming partnerships―digital innovation and transformation; general public interest; equality, diversity and inclusion; and social, economic and environmental.
Matthew Powell, CEO and founder of Breaking Barriers, said: ‘There is no national strategy to support refugees in the UK to take their first steps into work.
‘This leads to unemployment, exclusion. and untapped potential. With support from partners such as BARBRI, we can help people from a refugee background to access the legal profession and acquire the knowledge, confidence, experience and qualifications they need to gain stable, fulfilling employment matching their skills and aspirations.’
Patrick McCann, director learning for Linklaters, said: “BARBRI really is being brilliantly visionary, innovative and proactive in creating and delivering opportunities to those seeking to enter the profession, in particular, those where obstacles might appear to be insurmountable.’
For more information, visit: https://barbri-prep.com/sqe/barbri-bridges.
