The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is seeking to recruit an interim Director of Standards on an initial year-long contract to join its Senior Management Team and to lead its strategic and operational work to sustain high standards of professional practice at the Bar.
The BSB is the independent regulator for barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales. Our regulatory objectives are laid down by the Legal Services Act and the primary role of the Board is to ensure that we pursue those objectives effectively in the public interest.
We are responsible for ensuring that barristers serve the rule of law and provide an excellent and good value service to consumers. The BSB is responsible, to that end, for setting education and training requirements, establishing and maintaining professional standards, authorising organisations which provide Bar training or certain legal services, and dealing with questions of professional misconduct.
BSB seek to appoint an interim Director of Standards who will lead their work to ensure high standards of professional practice and conduct at the point of entry and during practice at the Bar and, as a member of the Senior Management Team, the successful candidate will play a full part in the collective leadership of BSB. The BSB welcomes applications from all candidates and values diversity in background, skills and experience.
Over the next ten years, barristers in England and Wales will continue to face major challenges. These include changing consumer demands and expectations, technological advances and the promotion of equality and diversity within the profession itself. The BSB must ensure that its regulation is risk-based, proportionate and agile in a changing legal services and regulatory landscape.
The Director of Standards will be responsible for: the BSB’s existing programme of work on assuring professional standards throughout a barrister’s career; the BSB’s regulation of education and training at the Bar; the BSB’s approach to risk-based supervision. The postholder will also have, a range of SMT responsibilities and external engagement as appropriate.
BSB seek applications from candidates with experience of professional regulation at a senior level and a proven ability to develop and implement risk-based and proportionate strategies to advance public interest regulatory objectives.
To apply for the role, please ensure you have read the Job Description, downloaded and completed the cover letter template and send this with your CV to BSB@inclusiveboards.co.uk
Disabled candidates who require reasonable adjustments should contact Inclusive Boards via BSB@inclusiveboards.co.uk or call 020 7267 8369. The Bar Standards Board is a Disability Confident employer. Disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and request a Disability Confident interview for this role will be guaranteed a first stage interview under this scheme.
