FAQ 12

Q12. I joined Chambers recently and discover that, in addition to the payments that were mentioned at the time I joined, I am also being asked to pay substantial additional amounts to pay off debts owed by Chambers. These existed at the time I applied and Chambers clearly knew of them. Do I have to pay them?

A12. This may be an issue for which the remedy lies in law rather than with the Bar Council.

However, there is a duty imposed on all Heads of Chambers by the Code of Conduct at paragraph 404 to ensure that chambers are run fairly and equitably. If it is true that there were significant liabilities of which you were not informed, then this could well be a breach of the Head of Chamber’s duties to you under the Code and it is open to you to complain to the Bar Standards Board about this.

The Bar Council also offers a free arbitration service for resolving disputes between chambers and their members. Please contact Jess Campbell on 0207 242 0082 for more information about this service.