The Bar Standards Board (BSB) welcomes today’s announcement by the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) that new Sanctions Guidance will come into force on 1 January 2022.
The Guidance, which is used by Disciplinary Tribunals and by the BSB’s Independent Decision-Making Body in deciding what sanctions to impose in cases of proven professional misconduct by barristers in England and Wales, has been the subject of review and consultation by BTAS during 2021.
The revised Guidance has been developed by a Working Group led by the Chair of the Tribunals, HHJ Jonathan Carroll and including the Registrar of BTAS, lay and barrister members of the BTAS Disciplinary Tribunal panel, the BSB’s Director of Legal and Enforcement and the Head of Investigations and Enforcement at the BSB.
The new Guidance will introduce revised sanction ranges for Tribunals to impose across different types of misconduct. The revisions reflect views received during the consultations from the profession and from those representing the public in what has been a wide-ranging review.
BSB Director-General, Mark Neale, said:
“We welcome the introduction of the new Sanctions Guidance and the authority it gives to Disciplinary Tribunals to impose tougher sanctions in cases involving a wide range of professional misconduct. I particularly welcome the increased sanctions for cases involving sexual harassment which I hope will send a clear message that such conduct is completely unacceptable.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the BTAS Sanctions Review
BTAS is responsible for the appointment, operation, and decisions (including sentencing) of disciplinary tribunal panels under a Services Agreement between the BSB and the Council of the Inns of Court. The BSB is responsible for bringing charges of professional misconduct against barristers, which BTAS tribunals then adjudicate. The sanctions imposed are a matter for the tribunal having regard to BTAS Sanctions Guidance which is drawn up in collaboration between BTAS and the BSB.
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
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