Bar Council governance
The Bar Council’s representative work is largely undertaken by committees comprising barristers and chambers professionals, who work in conjunction with the organisation’s small but dedicated staff team. Their work is overseen by the General Management Committee (GMC) and the Bar Council. The Bar Council and GMC are chaired by the Chair of the Bar and include elected members and those representing Inns, circuits and specialist Bar associations.
The Bar Council officers (Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer) are elected by Bar Council members in May and serve for one calendar year (January to December).
Find out more about the different parts of our organisation and governance below.
Bar Council membership, meetings and minutes
View the current members, upcoming meetings and meeting minutes.
Committees
All representational work of the Bar Council is undertaken by committees comprising barrister and lay members, and which are overseen by the General Management Committee.
Officers of the Bar Council
Bar Council officers are elected by Bar Council members, and serve from 1 January to 31 December.
Constitution and standing orders
Our constitution and standing orders
Annual reports and financial statements
Our annual reports, strategic aims and past financial statements
Standing for justice: our strategic plan 2024-2029
Our five-year strategy to position us as the leading representative body for a united Bar that is strong, inclusive, independent and influential.
Elections
Details about past and upcoming Bar Council elections
Vacancies and appointments
Opportunities to join a Bar Council committee or external organisation as a representative of the Bar Council and the appointments for the current year
Organisations we work with
Read about the organisations we work with: Inns of Court, Specialist Bar Associations, circuits, and others.
Circuits of England & Wales
The six circuits of England and Wales: what they are and where they cover.
Inns of Court
The four Inns of Court: who they are and what they do
Specialist Bar Associations
The Specialist Bar Associations (SBAs): dedicated to barristers' practice areas within geographical regions.