Relationship between the Bar Council and Bar Standards Board

The relationship between the representative and regulatory bodies is governed by statutory rules made by the LSB: the Internal Governance Rules (IGR): https://legalservicesboard.org.uk/our-work/lsb-rules-andguidance#Internal_Governance_Rules

They are ‘internal’ because the LSA 07 did not envisage completely separate and independent regulators. However, they seek to enforce the operational independence of the BSB.

Bar Council Protocol and Guidance for all staff

Last updated in 2019, this Protocol has the intent of fulfilling undertakings made jointly by the GCB and BSB to the LSB in relation to ensuring the regulatory independence of the regulatory body. The guidance ensures arrangements are in place to separate the GCB’s regulatory functions from its representative functions and maintain the independence of its regulatory functions. It sets out the information that each organisation must provide to assure compliance with section 28 of the LSA 07.

Shared Service Agreements

Agreements exist between the Bar Council and BSB for the sharing of certain services, such as IT, Facilities, Finance, HR administration, PMO etc.