*/
Restricting use of the term ‘lawyer’ is unnecessary and against the trend towards deregulation, according to the Bar Council.
Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Legal Services Market Study Interim Report, the Bar Council said there is no need to formally restrict the use of the title ‘lawyer’.
It said the barrister and solicitor titles are ‘well-known and well-regarded by the public in England and Wales’, and are ‘internationally respected’, and that it is not aware of any evidence suggesting a consumer protection issue that needs addressing.
Restricting the title ‘lawyer’ would amount to ‘the creation of a new regulated title’, which the Bar Council considered ‘unnecessary’ and potentially ‘against the prevailing trend towards deregulation’.
It said: ‘It would add another layer of regulation and a commensurate cost, which may be passed on to the consumer.’
The Bar’s response said that while the titles of barrister and solicitor are ‘highly regarded’, the scope of ‘lawyer’ is ‘unclear and uncharted’. The additional title, it suggested, could cause ‘confusion and uncertainty’ for consumers.
It said the public and consumer interest would be better served by the provision of more information about the regulatory status of existing legal service providers.
The Law Society told the CMA that it was in the public interest for the use of the title ‘lawyer’ to be restricted to those who are ‘suitably qualified and regulated’.
Restricting use of the term ‘lawyer’ is unnecessary and against the trend towards deregulation, according to the Bar Council.
Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Legal Services Market Study Interim Report, the Bar Council said there is no need to formally restrict the use of the title ‘lawyer’.
It said the barrister and solicitor titles are ‘well-known and well-regarded by the public in England and Wales’, and are ‘internationally respected’, and that it is not aware of any evidence suggesting a consumer protection issue that needs addressing.
Restricting the title ‘lawyer’ would amount to ‘the creation of a new regulated title’, which the Bar Council considered ‘unnecessary’ and potentially ‘against the prevailing trend towards deregulation’.
It said: ‘It would add another layer of regulation and a commensurate cost, which may be passed on to the consumer.’
The Bar’s response said that while the titles of barrister and solicitor are ‘highly regarded’, the scope of ‘lawyer’ is ‘unclear and uncharted’. The additional title, it suggested, could cause ‘confusion and uncertainty’ for consumers.
It said the public and consumer interest would be better served by the provision of more information about the regulatory status of existing legal service providers.
The Law Society told the CMA that it was in the public interest for the use of the title ‘lawyer’ to be restricted to those who are ‘suitably qualified and regulated’.
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Born from a grievance, their research project grew into a book and is now challenging the status quo. Emma Price and Emma-Louise Fenelon reveal the key findings – and the critical next steps
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts
