Regulation

The Bar Council regulatory issues team monitors and influences regulatory developments that impact barristers’ practise and the Bar Council. It does this by engaging with regulatory stakeholders and responding to consultations on issues ranging from the standard of proof used at barristers’ disciplinary tribunals to the transparency requirements that resulted from the recent Competition and Market Authority’s market study into the legal services sector. We also inform the Bar of regulatory changes and how to comply with them as well as promoting best practice within the profession.

Regulations Updates

• Professor Stephen Mayson has been undertaking a review of the current regulatory framework for legal services in England & Wales through the Centre for Ethics & Law in the Faculty of Laws at University College London.  In June 2020, Stephen Mayson published his final report, Reforming Legal Services: Regulation beyond the echo chambers.  We are currently reviewing this report.  For further details, please contact Sarah Richardson on SRichardson@BarCouncil.org.uk and Eleanore Hughes on EHughes@BarCouncil.org.uk.
• The Legal Ombudsman has opened a discussion paper on Transparency and Reporting Impact which includes a review of the information that the Legal Ombudsman could provide in the future.