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About Us
The Bar Standards Board was established by the Bar Council in January 2006 to regulate barristers called to the Bar in England and Wales in the public interest.
We took over the regulatory functions of the Bar Council and are responsible for:
- Setting the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister;
- Setting continuing training requirements to ensure that barristers’ skills are maintained throughout their careers;
- Setting standards of conduct for barristers;
- Monitoring the service provided by barristers to assure quality;
- Handling complaints against barristers and taking disciplinary or other action where appropriate.
Our mission is to be recognised as promoting and safeguarding the highest standards of legal education and practice in the interests of clients, the public and the profession.
Our Board comprises 15 people. Eight of them are barristers. Seven are lay people including our Chair, Ruth Evans. None of our members are members of the Bar Council or any of its representational committees. All members are appointed to work in the public interest.
The Board runs its work through five regulatory committees each of which reports to the Board:
Responsible for investigating complaints and taking action against barristers who have breached the Code of Conduct or provided poor service;
Responsible for looking at individual applications from people wishing to become barristers but who may be exempted from the normal training requirements;
Responsible for monitoring standards and encouraging professional excellence at the Bar;
Standards
Responsible for the Code of Conduct which all barristers must comply with and issuing guidance on good practice.
Education and Training
Responsible for setting the standards of education and training that people must pass before being able to practise as barristers, together with the further training requirements that barristers must comply with throughout their careers.
Responsible for the Code of Conduct which all barristers must comply with and issuing guidance on good practice.
Responsible for setting the standards of education and training that people must pass before being able to practise as barristers, together with the further training requirements that barristers must comply with throughout their careers.
Download the Bar Standards Board Annual Report 2006
Download the Bar Standards Board Busines Plan 2008
