Further Information about the Work And Activities of the YBC

About the Young Barristers’ Committee

The Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC) is one of the main representative Committees of The General Council of the Bar. Led by a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, it comprises elected members of the Bar Council (employed and self-employed barristers) under 7 years’ Call as well as barristers who are co-opted to ensure representation from different practice areas and all Circuits.

Role and Responsibilities

  • to promote and represent the interests of the young Bar within the Bar Council and beyond; 
  • to advise the representative committees of the Bar Council on all matters of concern to young barristers and to liaise with the Bar Standards Board, including on such matters as: 
    • training and entry to the Bar
    • pupillage
    • fees and public funding
    • practice management
    • regulatory issues and rule changes
    • equality and diversity.

Other Activities

The YBC:

  • regularly meets with officials in Government including the Lord Chancellor, the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions;
  • hosts an annual Young Bar Conference. Keynote speakers have included Lord Goldsmith QC, Dominic Grieve MP, Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury and Baroness Ruth Deech;
  • produces an annual Young Bar Magazine which is sent to every barrister under 10 years’ Call, to all pupils and to the BVC institutions. The Magazines provides information about the Committee together with articles on a range of topical issues
  • organises international exchange programmes, including with the Bar of Ireland and with young lawyers in the Netherlands (the Anglo-Dutch Exchange)
  • undertakes international liaison on behalf of the Bar Council and the young Bar. The Chairman attends the legal ceremonies of a number of overseas young Bars and offers reciprocal hospitality (in conjunction with young solicitors) at the Opening of the Legal Year. The YBC Chairman also represents the young Bar at overseas conferences. Recent such events have included the Commonwealth Law Conference in Hong Kong (April 2009), the Annual General Meeting and Annual Conference of the European Young Bar Association (June 2009) and the International Bar Association Annual Meeting (October 2009).

Keeping in Touch 

If there are issues that you feel are of concern to the young Bar and should be considered by the YBC, please write to the Secretary, Emma Brickell, at The General Council of the Bar, 289-293 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HZ.