Elections

Subscriber Elections

Elections for Bar Council of England and Wales

The Bar Council is the governing body of the Bar in England and Wales. It considers and implements general policy with regard to all matters affecting the Bar, and it represents and supports barristers and the Bar.

Its membership is made up of approximately 115 barristers who are elected or who represent the Inns, Circuits and other interest groups.

Annually in September, the nomination period will open, followed by the voting period in October. Successful candidates will join from 1 January for a three-year term, except where otherwise indicated. Those members who are due to retire from the Bar Council from the previous year on 31 December will be eligible to stand for re-election.

The results are in for 2025.

View the successful candidates â€¯ 

Subscriber elections timetable 2025 

Nomination period: 09:00 Monday 9 September 2024 to 17:00 Friday 20 September 2024

Voting period:  Friday 4 October 2024 to 10:00 Friday 18 October 2024

Announcement: by Monday 21 October 2024

Casual vacancies voting period:  1 November 2024 to 8 November 2024

View 2025's successful candidates

All successful candidates will take up their roles on the Bar Council from 1 January the following year.

Categories

Three categories were put to the vote for the Bar Council 2025 elections:

  • Self-employed junior counsel over 7 years in practice  

  • Employed KC or junior counsel over 7 years in practice 

  • Employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice 

There are additional vacancies in the following categories that will be listed as casual roles seeking applicants until 4pm on 1 November:

  • Self-employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice
  • Self-employed King's Counsel

View the Committee vacancies page for more information about the casual roles.

Why join the Bar Council 

Members of the Bar Council have the opportunity to represent the views of their peers and take part in essential work representing and championing the profession. Bar Council members usually also sit on Bar Council committees which undertake detailed consideration of a wide range of legal and professional issues.

The role of Bar Council members is to represent their 'constituency' by collating and relaying their views at Bar Council meetings and/or disseminating relevant non-confidential Bar Council information to them. Read the full Bar Council member role profile.

The roles are voluntary, and the levels of commitment vary depending on whether you also serve on committees, working groups or panels. The Bar Council meets seven times a year and committees meet four or five times a year.

Successful candidates will join the Bar Council from 1 January 2025 for a three-year term (unless otherwise indicated). Those members who are due to retire from the Bar Council on 31 December 2024 are eligible to stand for re-election.

Want to know more? Read Bar Council member Aoife Kennedy's blog: Why should you stand for Bar Council?

Officer elections

Officer positions

  1. Chair of the Bar
  2. Vice Chair of the Bar
  3. Treasurer of the Bar

Under the Bar Council Constitution, Officers shall be elected by the members of the Bar Council and shall, at the time of their proposal for election, each be a member of the Bar Council. Candidates for election as an Officer must be proposed and seconded by those who are members of the Bar Council at the time of their proposal for election.

The Chair and the Vice Chair shall be eligible for re-election for a second term after which they may not stand for re-election to the position again.

The Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election annually for a period not exceeding 4 years.

Officer elections timetable 

Timetable for the election of Officers for 2026:

Nomination period: 1 April to 25 April 2025, 17:00

Voting period: 2 May to 16 May 2025, 10:00

Hustings: 8 May 2025, 18:00

Announcement: The outcome of the elections shall be communicated to the Bar Council no later than 21 May 2025.