Complaints from litigants in person now account for one fifth of all reports made of alleged misconduct by barristers, the Bar Standards Board’s annual report has revealed.
In 2024/25, a total of 387 reports were received by the regulator from litigants in person, compared with 285 the previous year. Reports from LiPs accounted for 20.8% of all reports ‘many of which relate to family proceedings’, the annual report said.
In 2024/25, the BSB assessed 1,883 reports, an increase from the previous year’s figure of 1,851. In the same period, 92 investigations were concluded, down from 94 in 2023/24.
Of the investigations decided, 16 led to administrative sanction, 20 were dismissed and 20 were withdrawn.
A total of 53 cases were closed following a disciplinary tribunal. The Bar Tribunals & Adjudication Service found 29 cases proved, six dismissed and 17 withdrawn, the majority of which related to withdrawn cases against an individual who was disbarred in separate proceedings. One had another outcome in that the barrister agreed permanently not to apply for a practising certificate.
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The BSB received 53 reports of cases of bullying and harassment in 2024/25, up from 29 reports the previous year, and began 12 investigations compared with 10 the previous year.
The report said: ‘Five barristers were sanctioned as a result of enforcement action in bullying and harassment cases. We nevertheless acknowledge the criticisms made of our approach to the handling of such cases by Baroness Harman and by witnesses in a high profile case which reached the tribunal at the end of 2024.’
In an overview, Mark Neale, BSB director general, welcomed the Harman review of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment which was published earlier this year and which made 36 recommendations.
He said: ‘We…will work with the profession and other stakeholders to implement the report’s recommendations. In particular, we recognise our specific responsibility to accelerate the handing of sexual harassment cases and to improve our support for witnesses who will only come forward if they can be confident of a robust, transparent and responsive process.’
Referring to ethical standards, he added: ‘We have also continued to focus on the professional and ethical standards of barristers which will remain central to the public interest and to the bar’s international reputation and competitiveness.' The issue had been 'brought into sharp focus by the Post Office inquiry', he said, adding: 'We shall not only pursue enforcement action against individual barristers whose conduct contributed to this miscarriage of justice, but also address systemic issues through our continuing work to revise our code of conduct.’
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