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. 

Casual vacancy voting opens Friday 31 October 2025 until Friday 7 November 2025.  

See the full list of candidates duly elected in the 2026 election below. 

The candidates who stood in the election for the 2026 Bar Council have been announced. There are no categories going to a ballot. The duly elected candidates will start their three-year term on 1 January 2026. 

Duly elected candidates

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 are duly elected:

  • 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 are duly elected:

  • Ben Bentley
  • Simon Regis
  • Hannah Smith
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 is duly elected:

  • Lachlan Stewart

Casual vacancies

There were no nominations in the following categories and they are listed as casual roles on our committee vacancies page - applications close 30 October 2025. These roles commence 1 January 2026 for one year, until 31 December 2026.

  • Self-employed King's Counsel (2 casual vacancies)
  • Self-employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice (4 casual vacancies)
  • Employed junior counsel under 7 years in practice (2 casual vacancies)
  • Employed King's Counsel or junior counsel over 7 years in practice (one casual vacancy)