Regulatory Bodies

We have referred to regulatory bodies governing the solicitor’s profession as barristers can be dual qualified and employed in-house by firms.

Bar Council	Bar Standards Board	Legal Ombudsman
The independent, practising Bar of England and Wales is more than 16,500 strong and plays a crucial role in upholding the principles of government accountability under law and vindication of legal rights through the courts.The Bar Council is the lead representative body for barristers in England and Wales. The Bar Council’s work is devoted to ensuring the Bar’s voice is heard efficiently and effectively with the interests of the Bar (and the public interest) as its focus. The organisation’s Representation, Policy and Services (RPS) teams all work collaboratively to achieve those aims.The Bar Council supports the Bar through initiatives including ethical guidance relating to the BSB Code of Conduct, fees collection, arbitration and mediation assistance, wellbeing and personal support and mentoring services.Support is also offered to specialised sections of the profession including international practitioners, young barristers and employed barristers.	The Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates practising barristers, pupils, unregistered barristers, certain specialised legal services businesses (known as BSB entities) and European lawyers registered with them. The BSB is responsible for: Setting the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister; Setting continuing training requirements to ensure that barristers' skills are maintained throughout their careers; Setting standards of conduct for barristers Authorising organisations that focus on advocacy, litigation, and specialist legal advice; Monitoring the service provided by barristers and the organisations we authorise to ensure they meet our requirements; and Considering reported concerns about barristers and the organisations we authorise and taking enforcement or other action where appropriate. The work it does is governed by The Legal Services Act 2007 as well as a number of other statutes.	The Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales is appointed by the Office for Legal Complaints to run an independent scheme that resolves complaints about lawyers. The Legal Ombudsman works with the Ministry of Justice.
The Law Society	Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Law Society is the independent professional body for solicitors.	The SRA is the regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. It sets and monitors the standards that solicitors must meet.

Bar Council

The independent, practising Bar of England and Wales is more than 16,500 strong and plays a crucial role in upholding the principles of government accountability under law and vindication of legal rights through the courts.The Bar Council is the lead representative body for barristers in England and Wales. The Bar Council’s work is devoted to ensuring the Bar’s voice is heard efficiently and effectively with the interests of the Bar (and the public interest) as its focus. The organisation’s Representation, Policy and Services (RPS) teams all work collaboratively to achieve those aims.The Bar Council supports the Bar through initiatives including ethical guidance relating to the BSB Code of Conduct, fees collection, arbitration and mediation assistance, wellbeing and personal support and mentoring services.Support is also offered to specialised sections of the profession including international practitioners, young barristers and employed barristers.

Bar Standards Board

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates practising barristers, pupils, unregistered barristers, certain specialised legal services businesses (known as BSB entities) and European lawyers registered with them.

The BSB is responsible for:

Setting the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister;
Setting continuing training requirements to ensure that barristers' skills are maintained throughout their careers;
Setting standards of conduct for barristers
Authorising organisations that focus on advocacy, litigation, and specialist legal advice;
Monitoring the service provided by barristers and the organisations we authorise to ensure they meet our requirements; and
Considering reported concerns about barristers and the organisations we authorise and taking enforcement or other action where appropriate.

The work it does is governed by The Legal Services Act 2007 as well as a number of other statutes.

Legal Ombudsman

The Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales is appointed by the Office for Legal Complaints to run an independent scheme that resolves complaints about lawyers. The Legal Ombudsman works with the Ministry of Justice.

The Law Society

The Law Society is the independent professional body for solicitors.

Solicitors Regulation Authority

The SRA is the regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. It sets and monitors the standards that solicitors must meet.