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Chambers should be put back in charge of designing the pupillage experience for aspiring barristers, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.
In Future Bar Training, published in February, the regulator suggested that it should instead focus on ensuring that barristers have the right knowledge and skills at the end of the educational process, through the establishment of a Professional Statement.
The proposals, which are due to be consulted on this summer, mark a significant departure from the current system in which the BSB must approve any pupillages that deviate from the standard format, and make it easier for pupillage training organisations to offer alternatives, such as secondments. The BSB will also explore how pupils – most of whom are self-employed – can be protected in the same way as employees or other trainees.
Director of Education and Training for the BSB, Dr Simon Thornton-Wood, said: “By clearly defining the end point of qualification – in terms of the skills and ability a barrister needs – we think routes to qualification will become more flexible, more innovative, and more creative.
“If this greater flexibility means that there can be more pupillages on offer that is also a good move.”
The increasing costs in training and education is a serious concern. “Inevitably, high quality training comes at a price, but we don’t want this to be prohibitive and a deterrent to those who have the aptitude and determination to become successful barristers,” Thornton-Wood added.
The cost of the BPTC in London is now typically in excess of £17,500 for a one-year course; and less than a third of students find work at the Bar.
The proposals, which are due to be consulted on this summer, mark a significant departure from the current system in which the BSB must approve any pupillages that deviate from the standard format, and make it easier for pupillage training organisations to offer alternatives, such as secondments. The BSB will also explore how pupils – most of whom are self-employed – can be protected in the same way as employees or other trainees.
Director of Education and Training for the BSB, Dr Simon Thornton-Wood, said: “By clearly defining the end point of qualification – in terms of the skills and ability a barrister needs – we think routes to qualification will become more flexible, more innovative, and more creative.
“If this greater flexibility means that there can be more pupillages on offer that is also a good move.”
The increasing costs in training and education is a serious concern. “Inevitably, high quality training comes at a price, but we don’t want this to be prohibitive and a deterrent to those who have the aptitude and determination to become successful barristers,” Thornton-Wood added.
The cost of the BPTC in London is now typically in excess of £17,500 for a one-year course; and less than a third of students find work at the Bar.
Chambers should be put back in charge of designing the pupillage experience for aspiring barristers, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.
In Future Bar Training, published in February, the regulator suggested that it should instead focus on ensuring that barristers have the right knowledge and skills at the end of the educational process, through the establishment of a Professional Statement.
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
