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From these pages you can read and download guidance issued by the Bar Standards Board or its committees.

Guidance on Practising Rules and Requirements

This guidance relates to what a barrister must do and what rules they must comply with in order to practise as a barrister. It includes guidance on:

• Holding out as a Barrister
• Barristers without practising certificates - supplying legal services
• Becomng a sole practitioner
• Barristers who are also qualified as notaries
• Barristers acting under a retainer and/or under other novel fee arrangements
• Guidance on changes to pupillage arising from the Legal Services Act 2007
• Public Access Guidance for Barristers - March 2010
• Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients - March 2010
• Public Access Guidance for Clerks - March 2010
• Public Access Model client care Letter to intermediary - March 2011
• Public Access Model Client Care Letter to the Client in an Intermediary Case - Mar 2011
• Public Access Model Client Care Letter (No Intermediary) - Mar 2011
• Practising Certificates and Justices' Clerks

Guidance on the Administration of a Barrister's Practice

This guidance covers the practice administration of barristers both individually and within Chambers. It includes guidance on:

• Barristers Leaving Chambers
• Door Tenants and Associate Members of Chambers
• How Chambers should describe a former member of Chambers who has now become a Member of the Judiciary
• First tier complaints handling
• Knowledge Management Guidance - the future use of counsel's opinion by solicitors and other intermediaries
• Commission and payment by barristers for work
• Entertainment of solicitors by barristers
• Confidentiality Guidance
• Guidance on Self-Employed Practice - March 2010
• Guidance on Practice in Authorised Bodies - Feb 2012

Guidance on the Professional Conduct of Barristers

This guidance covers situations that arise during a barrister's practice including appearing in court, drafting documents and other general professional conduct obligations. It includes guidance on:

• The preparation of defence statements
• The preparation of witness statements
• Witness preparation - arising from R v Momodou and Limani
• A barrister's duty when pleading fraud - arising from Medcalf v Mardell
• A barrister's duty to disclose previous convictions
• The reporting of professional misconduct of barristers by members of the Bar
• Commenting to the media on cases
• Insurance and limitation of liability guidance
• Issuing of documents in Court by a barrister
• Refusing work in criminal cases and in respect of Plea and Case Management Hearings
• Undeeming of Criminal Graduated Fees
• Conditional Fee Arrangements
• Making Payments to Secure Criminal Work
• Guidance on prohibition in handling client money
• Guidance on Rules 608, 609 and 610 of the Code of Conduct