About Us
The aims of our complaints and disciplinary system are to investigate complaints and take action against barristers who have breached the Code of Conduct or provided poor service in order to:
• Act in the public interest;
• Protect the public and consumers of legal services;
• Promote access to, and the proper administration of, justice;
• Maintain high standards of behaviour and performance of the Bar;
• Provide appropriate and fair systems of redress for those who receive poor service;
• Provide appropriate and fair systems for the barrister who is the subject of the complaint
or disciplinary process;
• Promote public and professional confidence in the complaints and disciplinary
process;
• Ensure that complaints are dealt with fairly, expeditiously, and consistently.
The objectives of our complaints and disciplinary system are to:
• Deal with complaints made against barristers promptly, thoroughly and fairly;
• Provide appropriate and fair systems of redress for those who receive poor service;
• Ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken against barristers who breach the
Code of Conduct; and
• Be open, fair, transparent and accessible.
Complaints Commissioner
The Complaints Commissioner, Dr Ann Barker, oversees the complaints procedure. She is not a lawyer and she is independent of the Bar. She has extensive experience of considering complaints against the police, doctors and immigration officials.
Complaints Team and Hearings Team
The Complaints Team facilitates the complaints process up to and including any decision made by the Complaints Committee. The Complaints staff do not have any decision making power relating to your complaint. For information about the complaints process, please refer to our leaflet: Guidance for complainants and barristers on the Bar Standards Board's complaints process..
The Complaints Team consists of about ten members of staff, including a Complaints Manager, Complaints Officers, and an administration team.
Complaints Manager: Adrian Turner
The Hearings Team deals with complaints that have been referred to a Disciplinary Tribunal or an Adjudication Panel. For information about Disciplinary Tribunals, please refer to our leaflet: Information about the Disciplinary process. For information about Adjudication Panels, please refer to the Guidance on Adjudication Panels.
The Hearings Team consists of about eight members of staff and includes Senior Case Officers, a Case Officer and an administration team.
Head of Complaints and Hearings: Sara Down
