It’s one of the most revered and respected historic professions, attracting the most serious and intellectual people from the highest echelons of society into an arcane world of wigs and robes.
But the barrister fraternity has lately been rocked by an unseemly row – as some younger recruits have seemingly sought to use the mystique that surrounds their profession to build social media audiences on TikTok and Instagram.
And older barristers are furious at what they see as the frivolity of comical or glam videos posted by some younger colleagues who they think want to combine their legal work with a second career as an influencer.
A Daily Mail investigation has uncovered a number of young barristers taking part in the controversial trend.
One former Broadway star-turned-barrister took a smiling selfie while incongruously discussing her work on a murder case.
Others have filmed themselves getting changed into wigs and gowns.
The nature of much of this content has left some more senior legal professionals angry, ‘disgusted’ and with at least one having complained to The Bar Standards Board, the industry watchdog.
A veteran barrister told The Mail: ‘The prevalence of social media in the lives of young people has resulted in those younger generations thinking it’s acceptable to behave like this when they are called to the bar – but it isn’t.
Nina Reinach, now of 33 Bedford Row Chambers, has hundreds of thousands of views on her ‘Nina.bar.none’ TikTok page and 1,200 followers
Ife Thompson, a polyglot barrister who when not practicing law fronts The Black British English Podcast, is another who has also triggered disquiet
‘In fact it’s wildly inappropriate to try to reconcile the kind of facile frivolity you see on social media with the dignity demanded by the profession.
‘They’ve chosen a career that should be as vocational as entering the priesthood – and it’s simply not compatible with performative clowning for clicks.’
Among those regularly posting content is Fleur Houdijk, who in her first career as an actor performed on Broadway on screen alongside Spider-Man star Tom Holland and Dean Charles Chapman who appeared in Game of Thrones.
Miss Houdijk, now a tenant barrister at Lamb Building Chambers who specialises in family and criminal law, posted a selfie from a lift inside London’s Central Criminal Court, popularly known as the Old Bailey, to her personal Instagram story where she has 6,000 followers.
The photo, captioned ‘Murder hearing at the Old Bailey’ and accompanied by a green tick emoji, is believed to have been taken on February 18th.
It is unclear which hearing she was referring to.
It was this post that triggered a formal complaint from several barristers to the Bar Standards Board but it’s understood this was not upheld.
Miss Houdijk is not the only barrister to have found an outlet on TikTok, where dozens of ‘day in the life’ videos are uploaded by young barristers often undergoing pupillage, a year-long training period where aspiring barristers shadow a supervisor and learn the ropes.
Among them is Nina Reinach, now of 33 Bedford Row Chambers, who has hundreds of thousands of views on her ‘Nina.bar.none’ TikTok page and 1,200 followers.
While undergoing pupillage, she posted a video of her appearing to speak at an online Crown Court bail application hearing to get her client out of custody.
Miss Reinach has also filmed casework on her laptop and posted videos of her appearing to walk through the Royal Courts of Justice and waving in a mirror at Winchester Crown Court in her wig and gown.
Another legal source said the content ‘sums up the attitude’ of young barristers.
Ife Thompson, a polyglot barrister who when not practicing law fronts The Black British English Podcast, is another who has also triggered disquiet.
In one extended TikTok she wears a wig and robes while talking directly to the camera repeating the phrase ‘I am a radical black female lawyer’ and then adds further statements including ‘Of course I’m going to call out racism or police brutality’.
Another shows her and a colleague dancing to ‘Ms Perfect’ by the Afrobeat star Demi Mulla while in their wigs and gowns – with the caption saying they are ‘in the robing room’ ie inside a court.
Ms Thompson works at Nexus Chambers. It is headed by Michael Mansfield KC, a renowned human rights barrister who has represented the families of the Grenfell Tower victims.
Emin Kandola, a criminal barrister who gave a speech outside the Royal Courts of Justice while on strike with hundreds of other barristers in 2022, posted a TikTok of herself getting changed into her robes.
The barristers in this article were approached for comment.
Testimonials have praised Miss Houdijk, who was called to the Bar in 2021, noting ‘she has the client’s best interest at all times and aims to achieve the best possible result’.
In one extended TikTok Ms Thompson wears a wig and robes while talking directly to the camera repeating the phrase ‘I am a radical black female lawyer
While undergoing pupillage, Ms Reinach posted a video of her appearing to speak at an online Crown Court bail application hearing to get her client out of custody
Ms Reinach has also posted videos of her appearing to walk through the Royal Courts of Justice and waving in a mirror at Winchester Crown Court in her wig and gown
One legal source said the content ‘sums up the attitude’ of young barristers
But one disapproving colleague said: ‘That photo was incredibly ill-judged. I simply couldn’t believe that she had shared it publicly.
‘[There is] just a feeling of someone entering a very serious situation while craving social media attention like a teenager.
‘Standards generally have been declining for some time and some of the newer barristers I’ve worked with are the most incapable I’ve ever come across.’
Filming and photography on the precincts of court is forbidden.
Courts throughout England and Wales have strong warnings against taking pictures or recording proceedings, illustrated with clear signs throughout court premises.
A spokesperson for The Bar Standards Board said: ‘The BSB does not comment as to whether or not it has received any information about potential misconduct by a barrister regardless of how any information comes to our attention.
‘Such matters are dealt with in accordance with the procedures set out in detail on our website. These procedures are usually conducted confidentially unless they result in a listing for a Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.
‘Such listings are published on the Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service website and hearings are held in public.’
