//Professional Issues

Professional matters affecting members are one of the key areas in BACFI’s objectives and the Professional Issues sub-committee plays an active role in issues which affect employed barristers. We are pleased that a member of the committee has been appointed to the Qualifications Committee of the Bar Standards Board.  The Committee is currently developing and implementing ethics and advocacy exercises for the New Practitioners' programme which are suitable for employed barristers.  A small group of members from each of the Inns has been set up to take this forward in each of the Inns' NPP programme.  The Committee is anxious to involve all members in these professional activities and welcomes comments and suggestions. 

Please contact the Chairman of this committee, Esme Chandler.

Professional guidance

BACFI has members on the Professional Conduct Committee of the Bar Council and the Committee can give guidance on professional issues. BACFI also has a member on the Qualifications Committee of the Bar Standards Board.

In certain cases BACFI members may be able to give guidance on specific matters. Please contact the Secretary in the first instance.

There are many helpful guidance notes on the Bar Council and Bar Standards Board websites.  Three key guidance notes are reproduced below with permission from the Bar Council and Bar Standards Board.

Several sections of the Legal Services Act 2007 are especially important for BACFI members. Review the excerpted information in this paper: Legal Services Act -- what you should know.

You may have heard that the European Court of Justice has now ruled on the Azko Nobel case; confirming that LPP does not attach to communications with in house lawyers when Competition Law is involved. This is not new law; but we have noticed that several law firms are offering seminars to attract business, as LPP for external lawyers communications remains inviolate. BACFI is liaising with other interested organisations to see what further lobbying can be done. We will update members in due course. Read more about the judgement here: http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/akzonobel

The Professional Issues sub-committee, prepares Responses to consultations affecting its members from the Bar Standards Board, the Bar Council and the Ministry of Justice. A selection of Responses submitted over the last few years on key issues may be accessed by clicking on the links below. If there are any other topics in which you are interested please contact us.

If you wish to view any of these documents please click on its title in the Subject column.