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4PB launches groundbreaking Breastfeeding Policy to support mothers returning to work
On 14th October, 4PB launched the Bar’s first ever Breastfeeding Policy to help better support breastfeeding members and staff and ease their return to work.
The new policy is designed to offer practical and proactive solutions for members and staff, which are discreet and flexible, but also to encourage a better understanding across 4PB as to how people can best support their breastfeeding colleagues, both in chambers and at court. This policy was produced with the expert assistance of Sally Rickard, IBCLC, to ensure it was evidence-based and reflected best practice.
Breastfeeding at work has long been stigmatised. Despite the Equality Act 2010 including a clause on protecting workers from discrimination or harassment because they are breastfeeding, mothers continue to face negative attitudes or lack of support. A 2025 study by Reading University found that 35.9% of mothers found combining breastfeeding with work difficult.
This stigma makes it difficult for women to return to work, and presents unique challenges to women who wish to maintain their practice at the self-employed Bar. 4PB hopes that this policy goes some way to ending that stigma and to supporting its female members to return to work. That is especially important given the ongoing challenges women face at the Bar: although more women are applying for and securing pupillage than men, they continue to leave the Bar at a greater rate than their male counterparts, earn significantly less, and are less likely to take silk (the overall proportion of female KCs is low as compared to the percentage of female barristers at the Bar). At the same time, the number of female barristers with primary care responsibilities for one or more children has increased to 41%.
This is not the first time 4PB has led the Bar with family-friendly working initiatives: its Parental Leave Policy, launched in September 2022, was widely acknowledged as one of the most progressive at the Bar, ensuring members pay no rent to Chambers during a period of full parental leave up to 12 months and for a further 12 months after their return. Both Policies underline 4PB’s commitment to supporting parents to advance and develop their careers at the Bar.
Charlotte Baker, Barrister at 4PB, commented:
“When I was preparing to come back to work after having my daughter I spoke to friends and colleagues about their experiences of breastfeeding at the Bar. It was striking that those who had done so very recently had virtually the exact same experiences as those who had done so 30 plus years ago. Little seemed to have changed. Women were pumping furtively in toilets during their lunch break at court and making complex arrangements to store milk and lug it home.
“I am sure that breastfeeding is not the biggest problem that women face at the Bar, but the fact that this policy is the first of its kind does not reflect well on a profession that continues to struggle to retain and promote women.
“It took absolutely no persuasion to get 4PB to agree to be the first to produce such a policy, and to do so with expert assistance. The policy took a long time to construct because we did it carefully, surveying all of chambers and getting detailed feedback from members and staff with breastfeeding experience in order to ensure it is practical and realistic.
“I am really proud of it, and I hope other chambers will follow suit.”
Charles Hale KC, Head of Chambers at 4PB commented:
“As barristers, we understand the importance of advocating for justice, and that advocacy starts within our own workplace. Our Policy acknowledges that parenthood and a career are not mutually exclusive and that no one should have to choose between the two. Supporting breastfeeding isn’t just a policy, it’s a cultural commitment. We hope that by pioneering this initiative, we encourage other Chambers to do the same.”
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