*/
The BSB’s study into the barrister DCT market – where are we now? By Rupika Madhura and Richard Parnham
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is more than halfway through its year-long study into the digital comparison tool (DCT) market for barristers. In the January issue of Counsel (‘Click and select’), we explained that DCTs allow consumers to search for service providers using a variety of criteria such as the provider’s location, service offered, price, availability and client reviews.
DCTs exist across many consumer markets, including the energy, insurance and broadband sectors. DCTs have also existed for a number of years in relation to the Bar. Our study aims understand more about DCTs serving the barristers’ market and the extent to which it can offer benefits to both the profession and clients. It is important to note that the BSB does not regulate DCTs.
As part of our study, we have engaged with several DCTs who have, over many years, signed up hundreds of barristers to their services. We have also identified – and engaged with – providers who have recently, or are planning to, enter the barristers’ DCT market. Some of these new market entrants already provide DCT services to solicitors. They are, therefore, expanding their reach within a sector in which they already operate.
In the coming months, we will reach out to barristers who already participate in DCTs, to learn about their experiences of using them. We encourage these barristers to engage with our research. We plan to undertake client-focused research to learn more about the clients’ experiences of using barrister DCTs.
An important element of our study into this market is to collect evidence of the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) impact of DCTs – on both the Bar and consumers. Feedback offered by the Bar in recent months has provided us with valuable insights and we welcome further engagement in this area.
In the course of our conversations with the Bar, we have also heard many representations regarding online reviews written by consumers. For example, it has been suggested that reviews may discriminate against barristers with certain backgrounds, or that consumers may breach court orders when leaving them. We are exploring these matters as part of our study.
That said, it should also be appreciated that not all DCTs carry an option for clients to leave reviews, or use reviews as their principal tool for assisting future clients with their barrister selection. Some DCTs, for example, allow barristers to showcase their expertise to consumers via other means. These include providing in-depth biographies, indicating their professional memberships or accreditations, mentioning industry awards received, or by publishing articles on specialist legal topics.
We will continue to gather evidence for this study until September 2023 and publish our findings in 2024. In the meantime, we are not minded to mandate barristers to participate in DCTs. Nor do we see any clear need for the BSB to create its own barrister DCT service.
To learn more about the BSB’s DCT pilot, see the BSB website or email dctpilot@barstandardsboard.org.uk.
See also ‘Click and select’, Rupika Madhura and Richard Parnham, Counsel January 2023.
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is more than halfway through its year-long study into the digital comparison tool (DCT) market for barristers. In the January issue of Counsel (‘Click and select’), we explained that DCTs allow consumers to search for service providers using a variety of criteria such as the provider’s location, service offered, price, availability and client reviews.
DCTs exist across many consumer markets, including the energy, insurance and broadband sectors. DCTs have also existed for a number of years in relation to the Bar. Our study aims understand more about DCTs serving the barristers’ market and the extent to which it can offer benefits to both the profession and clients. It is important to note that the BSB does not regulate DCTs.
As part of our study, we have engaged with several DCTs who have, over many years, signed up hundreds of barristers to their services. We have also identified – and engaged with – providers who have recently, or are planning to, enter the barristers’ DCT market. Some of these new market entrants already provide DCT services to solicitors. They are, therefore, expanding their reach within a sector in which they already operate.
In the coming months, we will reach out to barristers who already participate in DCTs, to learn about their experiences of using them. We encourage these barristers to engage with our research. We plan to undertake client-focused research to learn more about the clients’ experiences of using barrister DCTs.
An important element of our study into this market is to collect evidence of the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) impact of DCTs – on both the Bar and consumers. Feedback offered by the Bar in recent months has provided us with valuable insights and we welcome further engagement in this area.
In the course of our conversations with the Bar, we have also heard many representations regarding online reviews written by consumers. For example, it has been suggested that reviews may discriminate against barristers with certain backgrounds, or that consumers may breach court orders when leaving them. We are exploring these matters as part of our study.
That said, it should also be appreciated that not all DCTs carry an option for clients to leave reviews, or use reviews as their principal tool for assisting future clients with their barrister selection. Some DCTs, for example, allow barristers to showcase their expertise to consumers via other means. These include providing in-depth biographies, indicating their professional memberships or accreditations, mentioning industry awards received, or by publishing articles on specialist legal topics.
We will continue to gather evidence for this study until September 2023 and publish our findings in 2024. In the meantime, we are not minded to mandate barristers to participate in DCTs. Nor do we see any clear need for the BSB to create its own barrister DCT service.
To learn more about the BSB’s DCT pilot, see the BSB website or email dctpilot@barstandardsboard.org.uk.
See also ‘Click and select’, Rupika Madhura and Richard Parnham, Counsel January 2023.
The BSB’s study into the barrister DCT market – where are we now? By Rupika Madhura and Richard Parnham
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
Giovanni D’Avola explores the issue of over-citation of unreported cases and the ‘added value’ elements of a law report
Louise Crush explores the key points and opportunities for tax efficiency
Westgate Wealth Management Ltd is a Partner Practice of FTSE 100 company St. James’s Place – one of the top UK Wealth Management firms. We offer a holistic service of distinct quality, integrity, and excellence with the aim to build a professional and valuable relationship with our clients, helping to provide them with security now, prosperity in the future and the highest standard of service in all of our dealings.
Is now the time to review your financial position, having reached a career milestone? asks Louise Crush
If you were to host a dinner party with 10 guests, and you asked them to explain what financial planning is and how it differs to financial advice, you’d receive 10 different answers. The variety of answers highlights the ongoing need to clarify and promote the value of financial planning.
Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page
If your current practice environment is bringing you down, seek a new one. However daunting the change, it will be worth it, says Anon Barrister
Creating advocacy opportunities for juniors is now the expectation but not always easy to put into effect. Tom Mitcheson KC distils developing best practice from the Patents Court initiative already bearing fruit
National courts are now running the bulk of the world’s war crimes cases and corporate prosecutions are part of this growing trend, reports Chris Stephen
Let’s hear it for the assessors, says Dame Anne Rafferty of the KC Selection Panel. And to make silk assessors’ lives a little easier when applicants come calling in May, Dame Anne fields some commonly asked questions
