*/
More than 400 complaints were made against barristers last year, with one in ten concerning two members from the same chambers, the annual enforcement report from the Bar Standards Board revealed.
A total of 433 complaints were opened in 2015/16, a 2% fall on the previous year. Of those, 299 were external complaints, received from clients, members of the public, solicitors or other professionals and organisations. The most common allegations were failing to cooperate with the Legal Ombudsman (17%) and discreditable or dishonest conduct (18%).
There were 134 complaints raised by the BSB itself, for breaches of the Handbook.
The report showed that two barristers at one unnamed set accounted for 48 (11%) of all new complaints raised in 2015/16.
Elsewhere in the report, 79% of barristers agreed that the enforcement process was open and fair and only 8% disagreed. But for complainants, 69% disagreed that the process was fair and open and only 14% agreed.
Of the complainants, 69% felt that the BSB had not considered all of the evidence relating to their complaint and 63% disagreed that the reasons for the final outcome were clear.
A BSB spokesperson said: ‘Satisfaction rates correlate with outcomes. There is a high proportion of external complaints which we dismiss, or do not result in a disciplinary tribunal.’ The BSB said it will continue to work with complainants to inform them and manage expectations.
More than 400 complaints were made against barristers last year, with one in ten concerning two members from the same chambers, the annual enforcement report from the Bar Standards Board revealed.
A total of 433 complaints were opened in 2015/16, a 2% fall on the previous year. Of those, 299 were external complaints, received from clients, members of the public, solicitors or other professionals and organisations. The most common allegations were failing to cooperate with the Legal Ombudsman (17%) and discreditable or dishonest conduct (18%).
There were 134 complaints raised by the BSB itself, for breaches of the Handbook.
The report showed that two barristers at one unnamed set accounted for 48 (11%) of all new complaints raised in 2015/16.
Elsewhere in the report, 79% of barristers agreed that the enforcement process was open and fair and only 8% disagreed. But for complainants, 69% disagreed that the process was fair and open and only 14% agreed.
Of the complainants, 69% felt that the BSB had not considered all of the evidence relating to their complaint and 63% disagreed that the reasons for the final outcome were clear.
A BSB spokesperson said: ‘Satisfaction rates correlate with outcomes. There is a high proportion of external complaints which we dismiss, or do not result in a disciplinary tribunal.’ The BSB said it will continue to work with complainants to inform them and manage expectations.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
By Kem Kemal, CEO, Henry Dannell
By BSK Financial Planning
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs
Susie Griffin on the admin that keeps barristers from billable work
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Kick off your career at the Bar Council’s Pupillage Fair this October – it’s one of the most valuable opportunities for aspiring barristers, says Amelia Clegg
The golden age of advocacy? David Langwallner pays homage to the filmic if contentious barrister Sir Edward Carson and some of his contemporaries
Henry Fingerhut outlines what the Bar Standards Board AI guidance means for early career barristers
The Ministry of Justice will match-fund up to 100 criminal pupillages, with grants available to criminal chambers across England and Wales. Similar to the COIC scheme, the grants will match-fund pupillages additional to those otherwise offered without government funding
Not yet, says Jacob Turner. Regulation, unlike the technology itself, is a domain the legal profession can still control
