Bar Conference resources

Independent sentencing review - final report 

Barristers call for radical rethink on ‘tough’ sentencing - our press release and our submission to the review on 16 January 2025

Gauke sentencing review: time for a more nuanced approach to justice - blog by Michelle Heeley KC

Independent review of criminal courts - terms of reference 

Juryless trials ‘not the answer’ to court crisis, barristers warn - our press release 6 February 2025

Bar Council calls for private prosecutions code of practice and reform of “conveyor belt” Single Justice Procedure - our press release and submission in May 2025

Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into tackling violence against women and girls: funding - written evidence from the Bar Council in April 2025

Pro bono - our page with resources, advice and opportunities 

Pro bono awards - find out more about the awards and the full list of 2025 winners

Wellbeing at the Bar website

Reflective practice pilots - read more about our pilots

Reflective practice pilots at the Bar - article in Counsel magazine

Psychological supervision… for lawyers? - article by speakers Marion Baker and Suzanne Jacobs

Lessons learnt: Work at the Bar - Counsel article by speaker Jason Beer KC

Statutory Inquiries Committee - Summary - the Statutory Inquiries Committee is appointed to consider the efficacy of the law and practice relating to statutory inquiries under the Inquiries Act 2005

Brook House Inquiry independent report - the report of the public inquiry on Brook House Immigration Removal Centre

Ethics & Practice Hub - our online library of ethics documentation to help you find answers to your professional ethics questions and problems

Ethical enquiries service - our confidential service to help you identify, interpret and comply with your professional obligations under the BSB Handbook

Ethical support for the Bar - blog by conference panel chair, Fenner Moeran KC

Children can’t wait for family court delays – Bar Council responds to NAO report - our press release from May 2025, including a link to the Improving family court services for children report

Independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects - report released in October 2024

Bar Council's response to HM Government’s Call for Evidence in relation to the Independent Review into Legal Challenge against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects - January 2025

Applying for silk at the employed Bar: Myth-busting and your questions answered - watch the video 

Silk supplement 2025 and Silk supplement 2024 - from Counsel magazine

Silk and judicial appointments - our mentor scheme

Pre-application judicial education programme (PAJE) - a joint initiative from the Judicial Diversity Forum

Blogs and articles about careers at the Bar from Counsel magazine

Movers and returners - our page of guidance and resources for people returning to the Bar, switching practice area or moving between the employed and self-employed Bars

The unspoken reality of rejection at the Bar - article from Counsel magazine

Practice review guide - our guide setting out the principles of practice review and suggests practical ways to get the most out of a review process

Independent review of bullying and harassment at the Bar - the independent review chaired by speaker the Rt Hon. the Baroness Harman KC

Talk to Spot - our secure online tool to support anyone working at and around the Bar to confidentially raise concerns about inappropriate and abusive behaviour

Stop it poster - our poster about Talk to Spot to be placed in chambers

Gross earnings by sex and practice area at the self-employed Bar 2024 - our report on gross earnings declared by the self-employed Bar during the authorisation to practise (AtP) process in 2024, by sex and practice area

Race at the Bar: Three years on - our follow up report from December 2024 to the Race at the Bar report in 2021 and Race at the Bar progress report in 2022 (also linked from the page), assessing our progress

Bullying, harassment and discrimination at the Bar 2023 - our report on bullying, harassment and discrimination at the Bar, taking data from our Barristers' Working Lives survey and Talk to Spot. Includes three recommendations for action.

Is the Bar really a conservative profession? - a guest blog from Michael Beloff KC reflecting on more than five decades in practice

Movers and returners - our page of guidance and resources for people returning to the Bar, switching practice area or moving between the employed and self-employed Bars

Equality and diversity, compliance and wellbeing courses - our training courses to build your diversity awareness and understand how to be compliant with requirements

The Art of Uncertainty by Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter

Statistics and the law: Why statistical literacy matters in the justice system - a guest blog from Dr Sarah Cumbers, Chief Executive of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), exploring the role statistics play in the legal process