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- Reporting a concern
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What to do if you are unhappy with the service you received or think a barrister acted wrongly?
You can change your barrister if you are unhappy with their service. Changing barristers may cost more, as a new barrister will need time to review your case and prepare.
In some circumstances, a barrister may stop work on your behalf even if they have already agreed to work for you. This is called "returning instructions".
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if they have too much other work on or do not have the time to be able to do your work to a high standard;
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if they have an interest in the case which might conflict with yours;
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if the barrister does not have the experience to handle the work;
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if the barrister does not have the right insurance to cover the work; or
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if your solicitor has not offered a proper fee when instructing the barrister on your behalf.
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if you have legal aid and they find out you obtained this by lying;
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if the barrister is required to tell the court something and you will not allow it;
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if the barrister's conduct is called into question;
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if the court date is made for a day the barrister cannot attend;
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if illness, injury, pregnancy, childbirth or bereavement means that the barrister cannot do what is required;
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if you do not pay the barrister when you have agreed to, and they have warned you that if you do not pay they will stop working for you; or
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if you agree.
If a barrister is thinking about stopping working for you, they must try to ensure that you are not disadvantaged because you do not have time to find another barrister.
If you are unhappy with your barrister’s service, raise the issue with them directly first.
If you are dissatisfied with their response, you can complain to a Legal Ombudsman. You usually need to do this within six months of the barrister's final reply.
If you have a concern and have evidence that your barrister:
- broke the law by committing a serious criminal offence.
- failed in their duty to the court.
- acted dishonestly.
- revealed private client information.
- bullied, harassed or used seriously offensive language.
Please see our reporting a concern page to understand your next steps.
Reporting a concernWe investigate concerns about barristers who were not acting for you but may have broken professional rules.
Examples include:
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Acting dishonestly
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Misleading the court
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Bullying or harassment
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Racist or homophobic behaviour
Learn more about how to report concerns about a barrister.
Reporting a concernBarristers must follow strict professional rules to stay independent and act in their clients’ best interests.
All barristers must have professional indemnity insurance. This insurance covers them if they make a mistake that causes you to lose money.
Barristers must not act for you if there is a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest happens when something could affect a barrister’s ability to act in your best interests.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulates how organisations and barristers use your personal data.
Barristers must keep your personal and sensitive information accurate, secure, and only for as long as necessary. Read more about your data protection rights on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website.
You can request a copy of the information a barrister holds about you. This is usually free, and you should receive a response within one month.
If you are concerned about how your data is handled, you can report a concern to the ICO.
Our money laundering hotline is a confidential way for anyone to report concerns about a barrister or an organisation we regulate. You can contact us by phone or email.
You should use the hotline if you think that:
- a barrister or regulated organisation is not following the Money Laundering Regulations, or
- they may be involved (knowingly or not) in laundering criminal money or helping someone else do so.
Money laundering involves hiding the criminal origins of money so it looks legitimate. Criminals may use professionals such as lawyers or accountants, sometimes without their knowledge, to help do this.
Barristers and regulated organisations must follow the Money Laundering Regulations if their work falls within certain categories (such as tax advice or forming companies). They are not allowed to hold client money or manage clients’ affairs.
Even when the Regulations don’t apply, barristers must still avoid committing any money‑laundering offences.
The Hotline (phone and email) is run by our Supervision Team during office hours (9 am–5 pm). If we can’t answer your call, you can leave a message.
We understand that contacting us may feel difficult. We treat all reports seriously, and you may contact us anonymously.
When you get in touch, we will:
- ask for any information you can provide (e.g., names, dates, what happened, any evidence), and
- explain how we will use the information.
Because of the sensitive nature of these reports, we may not be able to update you on any investigation, but every report is taken seriously.
For more information on our approach to requests for confidentiality and anonymous reports, please read our Confidentiality and Anonymity Policy.
UK law protects workers who are treated unfairly or lose their jobs after whistleblowing. However, because the BSB is not a “prescribed person” under the legislation, we cannot guarantee these protections apply when reporting to us.
Phone: 0207 611 1346
Email: [email protected]
These contact details are only for money laundering concerns.
If you want to report a different concern about a barrister, please see our reporting a concern page.
