The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will re-organise with effect from 2 December as part of a wider Reform Programme which has the following aims:
- proactive, consumer-focused regulation anchored in a much deeper, intelligence-based understanding of the market we regulate;
- modernised delivery for operational excellence: this will enable us to continue to improve our public protection responsibilities and deliver our gatekeeping, supervision and enforcement functions efficiently and responsively with no loss of quality; and
- engaged, agile and committed people, including through a reform designed to clarify accountabilities, to empower our people and to increase our efficiency.
This programme will also include our implementation of the recommendations of the Fieldfisher review which aims to improve the efficiency of our enforcement process.
The new structure will formally take effect from 2 December 2024 and will include changes to a number of departments, with certain directors and their departments having new functions and responsibilities. The new structure will be as follows:
- Strategy, Policy and Insight: drawing on enhanced data, intelligence and research, the Department will identify future and current risks to the public interest, as defined by the Regulatory Objectives, and develop timely consumer-focused strategies to mitigate those risks and to seize opportunities. It will own our Handbook and Code of Conduct and lead on updating them. The Department will continue to lead on diversity at the Bar.
- Regulatory Standards: the Department will ensure that professional standards evolve to support the BSB’s strategy, including to respond to changing consumer expectations and new technologies, and the standards expected by us are reflected and adhered to from qualification to retirement. The Department will include the Supervision, Examinations and Authorisation functions of the Bar Standards Board and will also have a policy function responsible for framework underpinning the qualification and continuing professional development of the profession.
- Regulatory Enforcement: the Department will take prompt and effective action to enforce professional standards where these are breached and where enforcement is necessary for the protection of the public and/or as a deterrent to unprofessional behaviour. The Department will be accountable for the end-to-end enforcement process.
- Legal and Information Management: the Department will own legal risks arising from the delivery of our regulatory functions, will handle litigation, provide legal advice to the organisation, will develop decision-making policies and guidance and oversee and support knowledge management systems. The Department will also lead on compliance with our statutory information law responsibilities.
- Business Planning, Programmes and Engagement: the Department will ensure that we have the business plans and resources needed to deliver our strategy and to deliver our functions, execute major programmes of work efficiently and to time, communicate effectively with our stakeholders about our plans and performance and ensure that our stakeholders are encouraged to engage with us so that all our policy making takes full account of its likely impact and their views.
- People and Culture: the Department will ensure that the Bar Standards Board’s people are engaged and empowered, are motivated by compelling and relevant values and work within a diverse, inclusive and proactive culture.
If you are a stakeholder who has direct contact with an individual or a team at the BSB, and your point of contact will change after 2 December, we will inform you directly. In the absence of any update, your contact will remain unchanged. We will publish further details about the appointments to the new departments in due course, once all key roles have been filled. Should you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
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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
Contact: For all media enquiries call: 07432 713 328 or email [email protected].
