updated on 04 July 2023
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. It’s responsible for:
Training to become a barrister
In April 2019, new Bar Qualification Rules came into force. The rules are designed to ensure that training to become a barrister is more accessible, affordable and flexible, while maintaining the high standards of entry expected at the Bar.
The BSB implemented the new qualification rules between April 2019 and September 2021. This phased approach to implementation for some elements was designed to ensure that no prospective barristers were disadvantaged as a result of the introduction of the new rules. For example, students who hadn’t completed their Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) had the chance to do so as normal, with transitional arrangements until Spring 2022.
There’s more information about the Bar Qualification Rules, their implementation and intention on the BSB’s website.
The components of Bar training
Training to become a barrister comprises three components. These are:
The Bar Qualification Rules state that Authorised Education Training Organisations (AETOs) can offer courses via a limited number of pathways, offering greater flexibility to aspiring barristers:
From September 2020 a whole new range of Bar training courses – some of which combine different components – became available to aspiring barristers. Training providers now offer much more choice for students and the vocational training courses are generally more affordable than the old BPTC. All prospective barristers should review the full range of training options available. A full list of organisations authorised to provide the vocational component of training can be found on the BSB website.
You can also read more about the different Bar courses on offer via LawCareers.Net’s guide to barrister training and the Courses search on the website.
Plus, for more information about the current requirements of each component read the BSB’s Bar Qualification Manual.
It’s also possible to qualify as a barrister in England and Wales by transferring to the Bar from practice overseas or by transferring to the Bar as a solicitor in practice in England and Wales. You can find out how to do this via the BSB website.
More changes to various aspects of Bar training
As well as those described above, the BSB’s extensive review has resulted in:
More information about these changes, their implementation dates and any transitional arrangements are available on the BSB website.