The Board approved these changes in February 2009. The revised Code was submitted to the Ministry of Justice for approval in April 2009. The Ministry was not able to consider the application for approval before the end of 2009 when the authority to approve Code changes passed to the Legal Services Board (LSB). The Board has prepared an updated application for consideration by the LSB.

However, the Bar Council has now issued a consultation paper on the related issue of standard contractual terms. The Bar Standards Board has decided that it would be unwise now to seek approval of changes to the rules for accepting and returning instructions when they may well require further amendment in the light of the Bar Council’s consultation paper. The Board has decided therefore to delay submitting the rules to the LSB until after the Bar Council has reported on the findings of its consultation paper. The Bar Council is likely to report in Autumn 2010.

Please contact Oliver Hanmer:
ohanmer@barstandardsboard.org.uk should you have any queries.