Barristers who are not up to scratch on the advocacy front in court will be referred by judges and colleagues to a remedial panel which will provide tips on how they can improve their performance, under measures outlined by the Bar Council.
The proposals, which are being sent out for consultation, also include plans for grading barristers who do legal aid work according to proficiency and experience. The Bar Standards Board will also review existing quality assurance procedures.
Geoffrey Vos QC, the Bar chairman, says the new panel, to be known as the Bar Quality Assurance Panel, will not be regulatory. “It will not make formal complaints. It will advise a barrister how to improve, whether by taking advocacy training or by other means,” he says.
He adds that improving quality controls should not be seen as a threat to the Bar’s independence but as a necessary part of growing up.
“We are a big profession now, attracting entrants from all backgrounds. We must be able to produce evidence for our oft-repeated assertion that we provide the highest quality advocacy and
