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Independent Decision-Making Body Member, THE BAR STANDARDS BOARD
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Are you keen to make a contribution to the regulation of barristers?
The Bar Standards Board (BSB), the independent regulatory body for barristers in England and Wales, is seeking barrister and lay members for its Independent Decision-Making Body.
Responsibilities
The BSB regulates barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. Our vision is to regulate the Bar in the public interest by promoting high standards, equality and access to justice. We are responsible for:
- setting education and training requirements;
- setting standards;
- authorising organisations;
- monitoring the service provided; and
- assessing reports about conduct and taking enforcement action where required
The Independent Decision-Making Body (IDB) is a non-executive body responsible for taking regulatory decisions that require independent input and has been operating since October 2019.
The IDB consists of a pool of suitably qualified decision makers from which panels of lay and barrister members are formed to take decisions on individual cases - panels of five are used for decisions on enforcement cases and panels of three are used for appeals against authorisation decisions.
Most of the decisions for which the IDB is responsible are in relation to whether enforcement action should be taken where breaches of the professional obligations, as set out in the BSB Handbook, may have occurred. However, the IDB is also responsible for, amongst other things, taking decisions in relation to appeals against executive decisions not to grant waivers from the Handbook requirements for entry to the profession or decisions not to authorise or license a body to provide legal services.
The work of all IDB members includes preparing for, attending and/or chairing panel meetings, attending training sessions as required and ensuring that they stay up to date with issues related to the regulation of the Bar. We are seeking up to eight barrister members and up to eight lay members to join the IDB.
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There is also opportunity for new IDB members to act as panel secretary. Although not a mandatory requirement of the role we encourage applications from individuals willing to help expand the current pool of panel secretaries we currently have in the IDB and particularly those individuals who possess strong drafting skills.
We welcome applications from practising barristers, or barristers who have held a practising certificate within the last three years, and lay people. Lay members cannot be (or ever have been) barristers or solicitors, as defined in paragraph 2(4) of Schedule 1 of the Legal Services Act 2007, except that any person who has ever been called to the Bar shall be deemed not to be a “lay person”.
Appointments will be for an initial period of up to four years, potentially renewable for a further four-year term, subject to satisfactory performance on completion of two years and before the end of the initial four-year term.
Remuneration for all members of the IDB is paid at a base rate of £330 per day or £165 per half day (with an additional 12.07% for holiday pay plus VAT, if relevant). Fees are set at £330 per day or £165 per half day for induction and training, and at £430 per day or £215 per half day for panel meetings (which includes a loading of £100 per day and £50 per half day to compensate for reading time, with an additional 12.07% for holiday pay plus VAT, if relevant). IDB members who act as the chair of the Panel receive an additional loading of £100 per day and £50 per half day panel.
The fee for an IDB member acting as panel secretary is paid at a day rate of £750 with an additional 12.07% for holiday pay plus VAT, if relevant.
We welcome applications from those located outside London. Panel members can attend meetings remotely although there is an expectation that members will attend training in person in London for which reasonable expenses will be paid. Training sessions are designed as in-person events which members will be expected to attend twice a year. Currently the IDB training programme requires in person attendance for training held in June and December of each year at the BSB offices.
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For more information and details on how to apply, please visit the News and Publications section of our website. Candidates should provide a covering letter outlining how they meet the competencies required for the position, together with a CV.
We welcome applications from all people who meet the role requirements regardless of background. We are committed to reflecting the diversity of the profession we regulate and the public we serve. We welcome and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, communities and experiences.
The Bar Standards Board is a Disability Confident Committed employer. Candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role will be guaranteed an interview under this scheme.
If you have any queries, please contact Rebecca Forbes, Head of Governance, in the first instance: IDBapplications@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk
Please send completed applications to: IDBapplications@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk Closing date for applications: Monday 3 August 2026, 9am.
Interviews will take place in London in w/c 7 and w/c 21 September 2026. Please note that these dates may change, including the possible addition of other dates, depending on interview panel and applicant availability. Remote participation can be arranged if there is good reason to do so. Please contact Naznin Chowdhury (Governance & Risk Manager) at IDBApplications@BarStandardsBoard.org.uk for further information.
Candidates invited to interview will be expected to undertake a short-written exercise which will be assessed as part of their application. There is no requirement to undertake any research for this task.
The successful candidates will be required to complete mandatory induction and training on appointment.
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