Representing the Bar

Representing Barristers

In its representative capacity, the Bar Council secretariat provides support to 
the Chairman’s office as well as a number of representative committees and cross-cutting teams. The secretariat supports the Bar Council’s work by:

  • communicating regularly with the profession about key matters affecting
    its interests
  • influencing the development of public policy and legislation affecting the provision of specialist advocacy and advisory services, and more widely,
    in the profession’s interest and in the public interest
  • developing and promoting the work (and the values) of the Bar, at home
    and abroad, to governments, legislatures, the media and other stakeholders helping to make entry to the profession open to all with the requisite ability to provide rewarding careers and to sustain the long-term future of the Bar.

 How barristers can get involved in representative work

There are a number of ways in which barristers can themselves become involved in the representative work of the Bar Council. These include: 

  • becoming a member of the Bar Council - the Bar Council comprises about 115 barristers who are elected or who represent the Inns, Circuits and other interest groups. Elections to the Bar Council are held annually and elected members serve on the Bar Council for a period of 3 years. The Bar Council meets about 7 times a year and the meetings provide an opportunity for members to contribute to debates on the key issues facing the profession.
  • Joining a Committee - much of the Bar Council's day-to-day work is undertaken by individual Committees  which contain both members of the Bar Council and also co-opted members. Committees usually meet once a month and members can get involved in a variety of activities including debating policy issues and representing the Bar Council at other meetings and events.
  • Assisting with careers outreach work – the Bar Council runs a scheme called ‘Speak Up For Others – a Career as a Barrister’ through which barristers visit schools to talk to students about a career at the Bar.
  • Bar National Mock Trial Competition – barristers can act as advisers to schools taking part in this prestigious UK-wide Competition. Teams of students aged between 15 and 18, prepare the prosecution and defence of two specially written criminal cases and take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, court staff and jurors in a mock trial.

Guide to the Circuits
The Bar Council produced a helpful guide to the Circuits of England and Wales. Read more… 

Guide to Committees
The Bar Council represents barristers interests through a structure of committees comprised of practitioners who volunteer their time. Read more…
    

   Guide to Services 
   The Bar Council produces a handy guide to all services available to its members. 
    Read more… 







The Modern Bar
The Modern Bar explains the contribution that barristers make to the justice system and provides useful information about the history, regulatory structure and complaints handling functions of the Bar Council. Read more… 

Young Barristers' Committee
The Young Barristers' Committee represents the interests of barristers under ten years' Call. Read more…