Barbara Mills | |
|---|---|
| Education | University of Hull |
| Occupation(s) | Barrister, K.C. |
| Employer | 4PB |
| Known for | first black female Chair of the Bar Council, and international family law specialist |
Barbara Mills KC is the first black woman elected as Chair of the Bar Council, in the 131 years history of the organisation, which represents the barristers in England and Wales. [1]
She was called to the Bar in 1990, and took silk in 2020, [2] is one of only eight black women KCs in 2025, [1] and chairs an all female senior team with Kirsty Brimelow (Vice Chair) [3] and Lucinda Orr (Treasurer). [2] She is also the first family law specialist to hold the chair in the last 35 years. [2]
She explained in an interview that she was aware of a sense of responsibility of being in such a prominent role, saying
"You have, on the one hand, those who may be challenged by the fact that you're a first and the position isn't normally filled by someone who looks like you. And on the other side, you have the hope of those who do look like you." [1]
As chair she said she was going to build upon her own practice by an emphasis on family law, wellbeing, inclusion and the resources for justice, [4] pointing out that the lack of investment in family law and associated court services has meant that up to 40% of disputes which reach court have no legal representation for one of the parties. Further Mills stated that the Femicide Census (2021) showed that 147 women were killed and 78 of these were by a partner whom the woman was trying to leave. Also domestic abuse was involved in 40% of the private children's court cases heard. [4] Her speech included recommendations both political and financial to improve this situation, based on pathfinder projects in courts in Wales, Birmingham and Bournemouth. [4] Mills also promoted the need for actions on better care for the members of the profession itself, given the pressures the courts and individuals are under in terms of wellbeing, mental health and improving equality and inclusion. [4]
Prior to this role, Mills was a head of chambers at 4PB, deputy high court judge and was ten years Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit, [2] and had served as vice-chair of the bar council and served as co-chair of its race working group. [5] [6] She was co-editor of The International Family Law Journal and sat on the governing bench of the Inner Temple. [5] Her practice has been ranked highly by Legal 500 and in Chambers & Partners. [7] She has promoted mediation in her career, and participated in international exchanges on this topic. [7] In 2024, Mills was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Women and Diversity in Law Awards. [8]
Mills is British- Ghanaian [9] and was given charitable funding for her education, through an application made by her mother, Rosa which contributed to Mills attending a private girls' school, and studied at the University of Hull, and a place at the Inns of Court School of Law, London before obtaining a pupillage at the bar. [5] She has a sister Linda, who lives in America. [10] She said that she quickly learned that 'talent on its own is not enough' without access to opportunities, which this funding had given her and yet she still had challenges gaining work without a network in the profession. [5]