The Bar Council
The Bar Council represents barristers in England and Wales. It promotes the Bar’s high-quality specialist advocacy and advisory services in support of fair access to justice for all; the highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across the profession; and the development of business opportunities for barristers at home and abroad. The Bar Council exists to act in the interests of the Bar on all matters relating to the profession and supports barristers from the beginning of their careers, through their development as a barrister and even after they draw their time at the Bar to a close. As the overarching body giving a united voice to the barristers’ profession, the Bar Council has been at the forefront of many campaigns to defend the rule of law, promote access to justice and give its backing to the legal services sector. Barristers can turn to the Bar Council for help at any point in their careers and on a range of issues, whether that be on wellbeing, developing their practice, help on ethical or practice matters or to seek mentoring from other barristers to help make the next step in their careers. It is also the Approved Regulator of the Bar of England and Wales, discharging its regulatory functions through the independent Bar Standards Board (BSB) (see p457). The profession Barristers exist to serve the public. As specialist, independent advocates, barristers help people to uphold their legal rights and obligations, acting often on behalf of the most vulnerable members of society. The Bar makes a vital contribution to the efficient operation of criminal, family and civil courts. It provides a pool from which a significant proportion of judges are drawn, on whose
independence the rule of law and our democratic way of life depend.
There are over 16,000 barristers in England and Wales, the majority of whom operate independently under the ‘cab rank’ rule, which requires barristers to accept work, otherwise known as instructions, in any field in which they practise on being offered a proper fee. This duty exists regardless of the barrister’s views of the client or the case, which means barristers may have to take on a client or case despite their preference not to do so. The cab rank rule, which governs only barristers, is regarded as a fundamental element of the rule of law in this country. It accounts, at least in part, for the high regard in which the Bar of England and Wales is held both at home and abroad. Many barristers are involved in pro bono work as members of Advocate or the Free Representation Unit (see p65). While many barristers are self-employed, operating from chambers, approximately 3,000 barristers are employed or in-house. Employed barristers practise in-house within a wide range of organisations and sectors, varying from business and government to social and health services. Joining the barristers’ profession Contrary to public perception, the barristers’ profession is not a career path reserved for the privileged few. The Bar Council is committed to fair access and meritocracy at the Bar, and encourages applications from all those with talent, irrespective of background to ensure that the Bar continues to become a more diverse and socially representative profession. The Bar Council leads the way in making the barristers’ profession open to those who have the skills and ability to pursue a career at the Bar and works closely with other organisations to ensure fair access to the Bar.
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