Appointment of members of the Independent Decision-Making Body

We welcome applications from barristers with experience across a range of practice areas, and independent lay people.

Lay members play an essential role in maintaining public, as well as other stakeholder, confidence in the decisions taken by the IDB, and act as a balance to ensure decisions are taken with the public interest fully taken into account.

We welcome applications from practising barristers, or barristers who have held a practising certificate within the last three years, and lay people. Lay members cannot be (or ever have been) barristers or solicitors, as defined in paragraph 2(4) of Schedule 1 of the Legal Services Act 2007, except that any person who has ever been called to the Bar shall be deemed not to be a “lay person”.

We also welcome applications from those located outside London as facilities will be provided to attend IDB panel meetings remotely, and papers are provided electronically. Training sessions are designed as in-person events which members will be expected to attend (and for which reasonable expenses will be paid). Currently the IDB training programme requires in person attendance for training in June and December of each year at the BSB offices.

Time commitment

IDB members are expected to play a full part in the work of the panel, and to prepare for and attend all panel meetings to which they are appointed. Around eight panel meetings are usually held per month, but members are likely to be required to sit on a panel once a month on average, subject to availability and the number of cases needing decisions.

Panel meetings are scheduled to last either a full day (seven hours including a lunchbreak) or half day (up to four hours), but a minimum half day fee will be paid for each meeting (see below). Panel meetings are typically held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is an important aspect to consider in deciding whether you wish to apply.

Panel members are also expected to attend two training sessions a year and we generally require attendance to be in person for these sessions. The training sessions normally last a full day and the relevant fee is paid for attendance. Attendance at IDB Panel meetings is remote currently via Microsoft Teams.

For application pack & detail to apply click HERE