Advocate
Social Mobility & Neurodivergence
Writer
Trauma-Informed Law, Diversity and Inclusion

LUCY BARNES SPEAKING - ABOUT

"I can be a voice for care-leavers and disadvantaged young people who haven’t found theirs yet."
Lucy went into care at 13 and fell off the “care cliff” at 16. Aged 18, she came to Surrey to study law. She has now begun her pupillage as a barrister. Alongside her legal career, she set up Lawyers Who Care CIC and is a vocal advocate for social mobility for care-experienced, neurodivergent and disadvantaged young people.


PUBLICATIONS & ADVOCACY
"Care Leavers can be lawyers too."

Apr 2025
KEYNOTE - ARU CHELMSFORD
Speaking: Lucy was a Keynote speaker at ARU Chelmsford event ‘Lawyers as a voice with the vulnerable’ - Lucy delivered a speech on how lawyers can be a voice for the vulnerable inside and outside of court. She also spoke about how vulnerable individuals/groups can also be valuable, and the importance of #solidaritynotcharity

Feb 2025
KEYNOTE - ATHENA SWAN LECTURE
Speaking: Lucy delivered her keynote speech 'Addressing an “invisible inequality:” care experience as a civil rights movement' discussing care experience as a human rights cause and how discrimination cases against Care Leavers is ripe for challenge under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Feb 2025
OXFORD LAW SOCIETY
Speaking: Lucy speaks as a panellist for Oxford Law Society's 'intersectionality in the legal profession' event on her intersectionality of care experience, sex, socio-economic background and neurodivergence alongside an esteemed panel of speakers.

Sep 2024
TRAUMA-INFORMED LAW: GARDEN COURT CHAMBERS
Lucy spoke as a panellist as part of a Garden Court Chambers seminar on 'Trauma-Informed Law in the family justice system' alongside Amanda Weston KC and Amanda Meuez.

Jun 2024
CO-CHAIR AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Lucy co-chaired the annual NCCTC conference alongside Kathy Evans, previous CEO at Children England. Lucy also delivered her keynote address 'From Foster Care to Lawyers Who Care' to an audience of 500 delegates across local authorities.

May 2024
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: AimHigher
Keynote speaker at AimHigher's 'Smoothing the Path' conference for care-experienced people in Higher Education at Goldsmith University. Lucy delivered her keynote speech 'From Foster Care to Lawyers Who Care' and shared ideas for making university more accessible for care-experienced people.

May 2024
KEYNOTE SPEAKER -HOUSE OF COMMONS
Lucy spoke in the House of Commons to the Education Select Committee on the launch of Lawyers Who Care and what care-experienced people can go on to achieve with the right opportunities.

Mar 2024
NAVSH CONFERENCE
Lucy was a panellist for the 2024 NAVSH (National Association of Virtual School Heads) conference hosted by BBC's
Ashley John-Baptiste.

Oct 2023
KEYNOTE SPEECHES IN SCHOOLS
October 2023: LB Hounslow's 'Inspirational Speaker' for their 2023 Kids in Care awards
October 2023: Spoke at Quorn Hall School to care-experienced students and brought the law back down to earth by engaging them with the law.
July 2023: Spoke at the University of Surrey Summer School

Oct 2023
PANEL - GARDEN COURT
CHAMBERS
Lucy was a panellist for Garden Court Chambers' 'Neurodivergent Children in the Justice System' webinar speaking on the relationship between care-experience, trauma and neurodivergence.
