168: Lessons from the Courtroom | Selva Ramasamy KC

Selva Ramasamy KC (King's Counsel) is a senior barrister, joint head of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers and an elected Master of the Bench for Inner Temple.   
As a King's Counsel, Selva is one of the most senior barristers responsible for conducting some of the most serious and complex cases in the country. 
Selva was actually the first non white member of his Chambers in its history and now they are one of the most diverse groups of barristers in the country. 
Selva explains growing up in a mixed race background, spending much of his early childhood abroad until coming back to the UK and attending a boarding school at aged 11. He remembers learning quickly to persuade and influence when clearly different to all those around him and his early experiences of racism have led him to become an advocate for inclusion and diversity within the legal profession. 
We both remember our early years as student barristers and the small red handbook issued to us all titled 'Learning the Law' by Glanville Williams in which it suggested that women and those from ethnic minorities might consider choosing a different profession due to the difficulties of 'getting on' if not from the standard background and upbringing. Those words continue to provide Selva with the motivation to keep driving change and role modelling a more modern approach at the Bar. 
Selva's day to day life requires him to deal with people immersed in the most extreme of human emotions with liberty at stake, managing multiple stakeholders and communicating across abilities, cultures and agendas. 
Selva is very proud of the work being done by Inner Temple and the Sutton Trust to increase social mobility within the profession. Selva tells me that by 'looking different' he is able to dispel certain myths as regards who is and who could become a barrister. 
The Bar continues to make huge step changes including wellbeing in order to assist barristers cope with the graphic and often brutal nature of the cases they are dealing with day to day, week to week and month to month. 
This episode provides a unique insight into one of the most intriguing professions, often portrayed in TV and film for it's bizarre and dramatic moments. The reality is a profession of individuals working tirelessly to Bridge the Justice Gap for all of us. 
We also enjoy a moment of celebration as Selva and I recently won The Hargreaves Cup together which since 1950 has been awarded to the winning Tennis team between the four Inns of Court. 
Enjoy this episode. 

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