The Bar Standards Board (BSB), the independent regulatory body for barristers in England and Wales, is seeking barrister members for its Independent Decision-Making Body. This is the third year of our new processes for taking regulatory decisions and we want to encourage a diverse range of people to support us in our ongoing modernisation of our enforcement processes.
The organisation
The BSB regulates barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. Our statutory objectives are set out in the Legal Services Act 2007 and in pursuit of those objectives our duties include
- setting education and training requirements;
- setting standards;
- authorising organisations;
- monitoring the service provided; and
- considering reports about conduct.
The Independent Decision-Making Body (IDB) is a non-executive body responsible for taking all our regulatory decisions that require independent scrutiny, and has been operating since September 2019. It consists of a pool of suitably qualified decision makers from which panels of lay and barrister members are formed to take decisions on individual cases - panels of three are used for authorisations and five for enforcement cases. Most of the decisions for which the IDB is responsible are in relation to whether enforcement action should be taken where breaches of the professional obligations, as set out in the BSB Handbook, may have occurred. However, the IDB is also responsible for, amongst other things, taking decisions in relation to appeals against executive decisions not to grant waivers from the Handbook requirements or decisions not to authorise or license a body to provide legal services.
The work of an IDB member will include preparing for, and attending panel meetings, attending training sessions as required and ensuring that they stay up to date with issues related to the regulation of the Bar. The opportunity to chair panel meetings will also be available.
Because of turnover within the panel pool, we are specifically seeking five self-employed practising barrister members, from any specialism, to join the IDB. We welcome applications from senior practitioners and we also welcome applications from barristers with knowledge of supervising barristers during their pupillage. However, neither of these is an essential requirement.
Appointments will be for an initial period of up to three years, potentially renewable for a further three year term, subject to satisfactory appraisal on completion of 18 months’ and three years’ service.
Remuneration for all members of the IDB is paid at a flat rate of £308 per day or £154 per half day (plus VAT, if relevant) – this covers both attendance at meetings and preparation time.
We encourage applications from barristers located outside London. Panel members can attend meetings remotely although there is an expectation that members will, from time to time, attend meetings/training in person in London for which reasonable expenses will be paid.
For more information and details on how to apply, please visit the News and Publications section of our website here. Candidates should provide a covering letter outlining how they meet the competencies required for the position(s), together with a brief CV.
If you have any queries, please contact Rebecca Forbes, Head of Governance and Corporate Services, in the first instance: RForbes@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk
To apply please click : https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/resources/press-releases/bsb-seeks-self-employed-barrister-members-for-its-independent-decision-making-body.html
Please send completed applications to: IDBapplications@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk
Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 1 August 2022.
Interviews will take place in London or via remote participation in the week commencing 26 September 2022. The date may change, including the possible addition of other dates, depending on interview panel and applicant availability.
We expect that mandatory training will take place in Autumn 2022.
