The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today announced that it has authorised The University of the West of England (UWE) to deliver the vocational component of Bar training from September. It brings the total number of Authorised Education and Training Organisations (AETOs) for the vocational component up to eight with at least one more provider intending to seek authorisation.
Under the new Bar Qualification Rules, which came into force last year, all Bar training providers are required to apply to the BSB for authorisation in order to provide Bar training. Today’s announcement means that UWE has become an AETO for the provision of vocational training for the Bar, subject to it entering into a contract with the BSB, as all AETOs must do, in relation to the provision of the authorised courses.
The eight approved AETOs are:
- BPP University;
- Cardiff University;
- The City Law School, City, University of London;
- The Inns of Court College of Advocacy;
- Northumbria University;
- Nottingham Trent University;
- The University of Law; and
- The University of the West of England.
Most of the fees being charged by these AETOs for their Bar training provision are considerably lower than the fees previously charged for the outgoing Bar Professional Training Course.
Manchester Metropolitan University has also told the BSB that it intends to seek authorisation.
The process of authorisation for any potential AETO involves consideration by a BSB panel of detailed information provided by the AETO against the requirements of the Authorisation Framework. Details of all those who have now been authorised are published on the BSB’s website.
A BSB spokesperson said: “We are pleased to announce that UWE has been authorised to provide the vocational component of Bar training, adding to the choice of new courses beginning in September.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the Bar Standards Board
Our mission is to regulate barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. For more information about what we do visit: http://bit.ly/1gwui8t
About the Future Bar Training programme of change
The authorisation of Authorised Education and Training Organisations follows the introduction of new Bar Qualification Rules in April last year which are designed to ensure that training to become a barrister is more accessible, affordable and flexible whilst maintaining the high standards of entry expected at the Bar.
Training for the Bar has three components:
- Academic – provided by an appropriate Law degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law;
- Vocational – currently provided by the Bar Professional Training Course which will be replaced by new vocational training courses with effect from September 2020; and
- Work based – provided by pupillage and potentially also by other forms of work based learning in future
Contact: For all media enquiries call: 020 7611 4691 or email [email protected].
