Konstantina Nouka to speak at the Bar Conference 2026

Konstantina Nouka of the Crime and Family team at Nexus Chambers will speak at the Bar Conference 2026 on the panel “Beyond access: Rethinking disability and inclusion at the Bar”. Konstantina, who lives with Ulrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, a rare and progressive muscle-wasting condition, will be joined by HHJ Fayyaz Afzal CBE and Natasha Shotunde of Garden Court Chambers. The panel will be chaired by Mark Henderson of Doughty Street Chambers, Chair of the Bar Council’s Disability Panel.

This reflective session will explore the experiences of disabled barristers, including those whose disabilities are not readily visible, and the changing landscape of access, inclusion and support at the Bar.

Moving beyond compliance, the panel will examine how disability intersects with professional identity, culture and expectations in chambers and the courts, with particular attention to the often under-recognised challenges that come with disabilities and health conditions.

Drawing on lived experience and new initiatives across the profession, the speakers will consider the role of reasonable adjustments, mentoring, formal and informal support, and institutional frameworks, as well as the responsibilities of chambers, regulators and practitioners in building a genuinely inclusive environment. Attendees will be invited to reflect on the progress made so far, the barriers that remain, and what a more accessible Bar might look like.

Alongside her busy practice at Nexus Chambers, Konstantina is the Founder of Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar (BDABar), an organisation that supports disabled people who wish to pursue a career at the Bar. Through this work, she aims to dismantle the stereotypes and prejudices that affect disabled people and to raise awareness of disability and accessibility.

https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/training-events/conferences-and-seminars/bar-conference/read-the-programme.html