BSB Handbook introduces new Bar transparency rules
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published new transparency rules in a revised edition of its Handbook. The new rules come into force immediately.
The new transparency rules are designed to improve the information available to the public before they engage the services of a barrister.
The rules have now been approved by the Legal Services Board. They follow recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority that legal regulators should introduce new requirements in this area. The rules relate to information about the areas of law in which barristers practise, the legal services provided by barristers, what those services cost, and a client’s right to redress.
The transparency rules require all self-employed barristers, chambers and BSB-regulated entities to publish specified information about their services, including which types of legal service they provide, their most commonly used pricing models (such as fixed fee or hourly rate) and details of their clients’ rights of redress. Public Access barristers providing certain types of services are also required to publish additional price and service information.
Barristers have until January 2020 to be fully compliant with the new rules, after which, spot-checking by the BSB will begin but the regulator’s focus will initially be on ensuring compliance rather than pursuing disciplinary sanctions. The BSB has today, also published guidance to help the profession comply with the new rules.
The new edition of the BSB Handbook is available here.
The guidance for barristers is available on the BSB website.