Work-life cash for set

A London-based barristers' chamber is the only legal practice to be awarded a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) grant in recognition of its work-life balance achievement.

Cloisters, a set of 40 barristers specialising in employment and discrimination law, received 25 days' worth of management consultancy in the latest round of DTI funding.

The award - the first to go to a barristers' chambers - is part of 4.8 million worth of consultancy divided between 233 organisations deemed to have good working practices.

The consultancy will help Cloisters develop ways to help members achieve a better work-life balance.

Solicitor Gerald Newman, Cloisters' practice director, explained that the profession's long-hours culture was especially problematic in chambers because of their small size.

'The average size of chambers is about 30 people, and yet we have to be open from 8.30 to 6.30 in order to cover the courts,' he said.

He added that because Cloisters was primarily an employment law chambers, the DTI hoped it could act as a role model for other sets.

Last year, City firm Linklaters was awarded 50,000 of consultancy under the scheme, through which it is developing best practice guidelines on leading and managing matters.

The firm has to report back to the DTI in September.

Victoria MacCallum