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Twice as many barristers were disbarred last year than during the previous year, a report from the regulator revealed.
The annual Enforcement report from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) showed that 19 barristers were disbarred in 2016/17, an increase from seven in 2015/16.
It said that reports received from barristers by other members of the profession for serious misconduct rose to110 in 2016/17 from 80 in 2015/16. But only 53% of these reports resulted in a formal complaint being raised. This, it said, demonstrated that barristers were ‘rightly erring on the side of caution in meeting their obligations to report misconduct’.
The report showed that the general trend in complaints about barristers was down, with fewer enquiries and reports received leading to formal complaints being opened this year – 366 in 2016/17 compared with 434 last year.
Excluding an unusual number relating to one individual barrister, the report showed a lower number of complaints had been referred to disciplinary action this year too –down from 53 last year to 46 in 2016/17.
Commenting on the report, the BSB’s Director of Professional Conduct, Sara Jagger, said: ‘It is important that everyone can have confidence in the conduct of barristers. This report shows that we are succeeding in our efforts to take action against the small number of barristers whose professional conduct poses the biggest risk to the public.’
Twice as many barristers were disbarred last year than during the previous year, a report from the regulator revealed.
The annual Enforcement report from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) showed that 19 barristers were disbarred in 2016/17, an increase from seven in 2015/16.
It said that reports received from barristers by other members of the profession for serious misconduct rose to110 in 2016/17 from 80 in 2015/16. But only 53% of these reports resulted in a formal complaint being raised. This, it said, demonstrated that barristers were ‘rightly erring on the side of caution in meeting their obligations to report misconduct’.
The report showed that the general trend in complaints about barristers was down, with fewer enquiries and reports received leading to formal complaints being opened this year – 366 in 2016/17 compared with 434 last year.
Excluding an unusual number relating to one individual barrister, the report showed a lower number of complaints had been referred to disciplinary action this year too –down from 53 last year to 46 in 2016/17.
Commenting on the report, the BSB’s Director of Professional Conduct, Sara Jagger, said: ‘It is important that everyone can have confidence in the conduct of barristers. This report shows that we are succeeding in our efforts to take action against the small number of barristers whose professional conduct poses the biggest risk to the public.’
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
