RBA MENTORING SCHEME
INTRODUCTION AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. The RBA mentoring scheme is open to any member of the RBA, at any level of experience or seniority. While mentoring may be particularly useful at a moment of change or potential change, mentoring can support barristers at all stage of their careers, whether or not they have a particular issue to discuss.
2. By offering a mentoring scheme across the Revenue Bar, we hope to give mentees access to barristers with a wide range of experiences (including experiences which they may not easily be able to identify within their own Chambers or Employer). We hope that this scheme will support both retention and progression at the Tax Bar.
3. If you would like to apply to be a mentor or a mentee (or indeed both), links to the relevant application forms are below. Forms completed online will automatically be submitted to mentoring@revenue-bar.com. This email address is currently monitored by Laura Poots (Pump Court Tax Chambers) (see below for further details on confidentiality and the matching process).
What does mentoring involve?
4. The Bar Council has produced a useful guide which is available here.
5. We suggest that a mentor and mentee speak or meet at least once a month to being with, and then they can discuss the frequency (and type) of meetings as the mentoring relationship develops. There may be circumstances in which meeting more frequently is helpful (particularly if dealing with a particular issue by a deadline, such as an application).
6. We also suggest that the mentor and mentee agree that the relationship will, initially, be for 6 months, and that they will review the position after that. It may be that, after 6 months, a specific topic or issue has been addressed, or that mentor and mentee agree that it would be helpful to extend for a further period.
Who will see my application, and how will my mentor or mentee be chosen?
7. All applications by a prospective mentor or mentee will be considered by Laura Poots or Marika Lemos and matched to an appropriate mentee or mentor as soon as possible. Unfortunately we do not have the resources for the matching process to be carried out externally.
8. If you would like to ensure your application is not reviewed by Laura and/or Marika, for any reason, please request a word version of the form from mentoring@revenue-bar.com, or from any member of the RBA Committee. You can then submit your form by email, mentioning in the covering email that you would prefer your application not to be reviewed by Laura and/or Marika. You do not have to give any reason for this, and another member of the RBA Committee will deal with your application. You can also, if you wish, send your application to any member of the RBA Committee rather than to the mentoring@revenue-bar.com email address (which, as mentioned above, is monitored by Laura), requesting for the application to be dealt with by another member of the committee.
9. The contents of the form will be treated as confidential by the person reviewing it. Your name will be shared with potential mentors/mentees, but the contents of the form will not be shared. You can of course choose to share any of the information on your form with your mentor or mentee, once matched.
10. You will be told the name of your potential match before the match is confirmed (and in some cases we may be able to offer more than one potential match).
Will any mentoring meetings be confidential?
11. Yes. However, as the Bar Council Guidance explains, there are some circumstances where that confidence can be breached by a mentor or mentee:
• If you thought they were at risk physically or mentally to themselves, or another, and needed further help.
• If you thought they were about to do something or had done something illegal.
• If you thought they were about to do something or had done something that could constitute serious misconduct under the BSBs rules.
• If you were required by law to break the confidentiality of the relationship.
Can I change mentor?
12. If you wish to change mentor for any reason (e.g. the relationship is not working, or an issue arises which cannot be addressed in the existing mentoring relationship), please contact mentoring@revenue-bar.com to discuss finding an alternative.
Can I ask for a mentor or mentee from a similar background, or the same gender?
13. The application forms contain various topics relating to a variety of backgrounds, characteristics and experiences, but it does not cover everything. If you would like a mentor to have particular characteristics or experiences which are not covered in the listed topics, please say in the “Any other area” box, or in the additional information box. If you are a prospective mentor who considers they can offer experience in something not listed, please do say in those boxes.
March 2024