Bar Council elections 2026

2026 Elections 

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.

The Council is established by the Constitution of the General Council of the Bar and its membership is made up of approximately 115 practising barristers who are elected or who represent the Inns, circuits and other interest groups from across the Bar.

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. 

See the full list of members elected in the 2026 election below. They will start their terms on 1 January 2026. 

Elected candidates

Self-employed Kings' Counsel 

There were 4 vacancies in this category and no candidates, so 4 vacancies were filled via casual election (election via Bar Council members). The following candidates were elected for one-year terms:

  • Matthew Butt KC
  • Jaime Hamilton KC
  • Laurie-Anne Power KC
  • Tony Singla KC
Self-employed junior counsel over 7 years in practice

There were 7 full-term vacancies and 7 nominated candidates in this category. Therefore, the following candidates were duly elected for three-year terms:

  • Celina Colquhoun
  • Beth Crocker
  • Andrew Duncan
  • Michael Polak
  • David Taylor
  • Sam Thomas
  • Emma Walker
Employed King's Counsel or junior counsel over 7 years in practice

There were three full-term vacancies and three nominated candidates in this category. Therefore, the following candidates were duly elected for three-year terms:

  • Ben Bentley
  • Simon Regis
  • Hannah Smith

One casual vacancy was filled for a one-year term:

  • Jonathan Foy
Self-employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice

There were 4 full-term vacancies and one nominated candidate in this category. Therefore, the following candidate was duly elected for a three-year term:

  • Lachlan Stewart

The three casual vacancies plus an additional vacancy were filled via casual election and the following members will serve one-year terms:

  • Andrew Brooke
  • Rabby Fozlay
  • Nancy Kelehar
  • Sophie Stevens
Employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice 

There were two vacancies in this category and no candidates, so two vacancies were filled via casual election (election via Bar Council members). The following candidates were elected for one-year terms:

  • Verity Bell
  • Sam Kharabanda Groom