BSB outlines priorities for 2026-27

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has outlined its priorities in the recently published annual business plan for 2026-27, highlighting a commitment to enhancing performance and operational excellence. As the BSB looks ahead to the coming year, the focus will be on investing in both people and resources while also developing improved processes and systems for managing capacity in casework.

Four key priorities will frame the BSB's efforts in the next year. First, the BSB aims to build a high-performing regulator by accelerating the assessment and investigation of cases. One of the main objectives is to eliminate backlogs in authorisations by year’s end, ensuring that transferring qualified lawyers meet the necessary standards for entry to the Bar of England & Wales.

Secondly, the BSB is committed to improving the culture within the profession. Continuing its collaboration with the Bar Council and the Conduct Commissioner, the BSB will support the cultural change challenges highlighted in the Harman Report concerning bullying and harassment. Additionally, the organisation plans to complete consultations aimed at refining its enforcement regulations to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its processes, while maintaining decision-making quality.

Another priority involves shaping a well-functioning market for barrister services that not only meets current needs but also supports growth. Understanding the evolving barrister market is crucial for informing future policy considerations and strategies as the BSB moves towards the latter half of the decade.

Finally, enabling success is a core goal for the upcoming year. This involves fostering a confident culture of high performance, characterised by clear values, behaviours, success measures, and innovative working methods. Such efforts will enhance leadership and bolster operational delivery, ultimately working towards increased confidence in the BSB itself.

Steve Haines, Interim Director General of the Bar Standards Board, expressed the organisational ambitions for the upcoming year: “Over the next year the BSB will focus on establishing operational excellence and where we need to reset and evolve for longer-term success. Our ambition is to reduce the unit costs of our operational work in the coming years and to create a regulatory system that operates effectively. We will also improve confidence in our approach to tackling bullying, harassment and sexual harassment, with better experiences for those who report concerns. We will review our overall approach to education and training at the Bar to ensure our work here is efficient and effective. We will also seek out opportunities alongside the wider legal services sector in support of the growth ambitions for the UK economy.”