The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has abandoned its controversial proposals to restrict the role of the Inns of Court in training barristers.
In a consultation paper published in October, the BSB had proposed that it take over the task of administering the ‘Fit and Proper Person’ and other pre-Call checks required of pupil barristers, and that the Inns’ requirement to attend 12 mandatory qualifying sessions be removed.
This week, however, the BSB confirmed that it would continue to require student membership of an Inn, that the Inns should carry out pre-Call checks and that their qualifying sessions should continue, although more of these should take place outside of London.
Ewen Macleod, the BSB’s director of strategy and policy, said: ‘The Inns of Court play an important role throughout a barrister’s career and most of the consultation responses that we received reflect a desire for their continued involvement before prospective barristers are called to the Bar and while they are still learning.’
