Valerie Charbit (Barrister, Legal 500, Chambers Guide) is based at Red Lion Chambers. She
focuses on mental health and wellbeing and as such has served as Wellbeing Director for
the Criminal Bar Association. Nicola Shannon KC (Legal 500), of Furnival Chambers,
champions diversity and wellbeing at the Bar and chaired the Bar Council’s Wellbeing at the
Bar Working Group from 2023 to 2024. She is committed to promoting positive working
practices in the legal profession.
In this talk, Valerie and Nicola update audiences on “Kindness at the Bar,” a project they
have developed with Prof. Robin Banerjee at the University of Sussex since 2021. The
project has produced academic reports on the role of kindness in the legal profession and
how it can better inform practice. It has since expanded globally and beyond the Bar. The
team is now developing an online course, recruiting more Kindness Ambassadors, and
seeking further stories of kindness as the project grows.

Key Words/Topics
Kindness
Occupational Culture                                                                  
Wellbeing
Respectful communication
Inclusion of diverse perspectives
Professionalism
Positive work culture
Stories of kindness