updated on 26 March 2018
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has agreed the ways in which the Inns of Court will continue to perform their role in the training and qualification of barristers in England and Wales. Detailed in a policy statement published on 23 March, the regulator has confirmed that the Inns will continue to play a pivotal role in the process.
Among other things, the policy statement explains that the BSB will:
The BSB is also in the process of considering the future rules and regulatory arrangements for pupillage, as well as seeking views on a new draft framework to enable training providers to develop new and innovative training programmes for aspiring barristers.
BSB Director of Strategy and Policy Ewen MacLeod said: “The Inns of Court play an important role throughout a barrister’s career and most of the consultation responses that we received reflect a desire for their continued involvement before prospective barristers are called to the Bar and while they are still learning. It was felt by most respondents that both student membership of an Inn and participating in a minimum number of qualifying sessions add real value to barrister training. These policy decisions will inform the new training regulations and the BSB will now work with the Inns to clarify roles and responsibilities in more detail.”