The Bar Council is experiencing some technical difficulties at the moment which are affecting our email system, MyBar and the Direct Access Portal. Please note that our response times may be delayed while we resolve the issues.

All other Bar Council systems, including the Pupillage Gateway, Ethics & Practice Hub, Ethics telephone helpline, Wellbeing at the Bar site and the Bar Council website, are still functioning.

Given the current difficulties, the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board have extended the deadline for renewing practising certificates under the annual Authorisation to Practise arrangements. 

The Authorisation to Practise deadline has now been extended for a second month to 30 June 2022.

All those who currently hold practising certificates but who have not yet been able to renew them will be authorised to continue practising within that period and without the need to contact The General Council of the Bar of England and Wales. 

In the meantime, those who need a practising certificate because they are starting or returning to practice, can be authorised without a certificate if they email [email protected].

For authorisation to practise without a provisional practising certificate please email [email protected]