BSB sees 24% rise in conduct reports as investigations reach highest level in four years
The Bar Standards Board has reported a 24% increase in conduct reports about barristers, with 1,143 submissions made between April and September. The regulator confirmed the rise during its latest board meeting and noted that the trend reflects similar patterns seen by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which recently reported a 27% increase in reports concerning solicitors.
Director general Mark Neale said the BSB had been unable to identify a single factor driving the surge. Speaking to the board, he suggested that the increase could reflect a broader sense of public dissatisfaction, leading more individuals to submit complaints. He also highlighted the growing complexity of reports, noting that some submissions may be influenced by greater use of artificial intelligence by those making them. The regulator is examining whether this hypothesis can be verified.
The rise in reports has had a noticeable impact on the BSB’s performance, particularly in relation to the speed at which reports are assessed and investigations commenced. As at 30 September, the organisation was managing 155 live investigations, the highest figure in four years. This compares with 121 live investigations recorded in the same quarter of the previous year.
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Despite the pressure, the BSB reported improved productivity. Between June and September, the regulator assessed 571 reports, a record figure that slightly exceeded the number of reports received during that period. Mr Neale said the enhanced throughput reflected operational efforts to address backlogs while responding to increased demand.
The BSB’s authorisations team also reported positive developments after a period of sustained pressure. The team has been dealing with a large rise in transferring qualified lawyer applications from the Indian sub-continent, alongside 30 categories of application in total. Between April and September, it made the highest number of quarterly decisions since official performance reporting began. It also processed more TQL applications in that period than it had during the entire previous 12 months. With more than half of the backlog now cleared, newer applications have begun to move forward.
Separately, the BSB has joined the Bar Council in creating a joint steering group to support the implementation of the Harman report. Published in September, the report by Baroness Harman concluded that significant cultural change was required across the Bar and judiciary to address bullying and harassment. It recommended the establishment of a commissioner for conduct and called for a protocol to guide the reporting of such behaviour.
The new steering group will oversee the development of that protocol and promote ongoing communication between the organisations. Bar Council chair Barbara Mills KC welcomed the collaborative effort, saying that delivering the report’s recommendations required cooperation across the profession. BSB chair Professor Chris Bones added that while regulatory independence remained essential, understanding different perspectives was an important part of the process.