The Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates barristers and specialist legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. Our role is to protect consumers, support access to justice and promote an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession. We set the standards for education and training, uphold professional conduct, monitor performance and take action where concerns arise.



We are seeking new members to join our Education and Training Committee (ETC) at an exciting and important time. As the BSB develops its strategy for the years ahead, we are focused on ensuring that education, training and continuing competence arrangements remain fit for the future, on strengthening regulatory performance and supporting improvements in professional culture across the Bar. We are also considering how regulation can support innovation, maintain high professional standards and respond to changing expectations of the legal profession and the wider justice system.



The Education and Training Committee provides strategic oversight and assurance to the BSB Board on all matters relating to education, training and professional competence. The Committee plays a critical role in helping the BSB maintain the highest professional and ethical standards across the profession.



As a Committee Member, you will:

• Contribute to strategic discussions and policy development relating to professional education, training and competence.


• Provide constructive challenge and independent judgement on complex issues.


• Review evidence, data and performance information to support effective decision-making.


• Help ensure robust quality assurance and governance arrangements are in place.


• Act as a critical friend to the executive while maintaining an appropriate distinction between governance and management.


• Support the Committee in providing assurance and advice to the BSB Board.

We welcome applications from people who bring expertise in one or more of the following areas: Professional education, training, qualifications or continuing professional competence; Quality assurance, standards setting or regulatory oversight within higher or professional education.



We are looking for strategic leaders, who bring experience of policy development or governance gained within complex organisations, who can provide oversight, scrutiny and constructive challenge. You will have the ability to analyse complex information, exercise sound judgement and make balanced decisions and, with outstanding relationship building skills, to develop and maintain strong stakeholder engagement. A commitment to inclusion, social mobility and widening access to professional careers is essential and we are particularly keen to hear from candidates whose backgrounds and experiences will bring additional diversity of perspective to the Committee and support our ambition to ensure the profession reflects the society it serves.



This is an opportunity to influence the future of one of the UK's most important professions and to contribute directly to public confidence in legal services. You will work with experienced committee and board members on issues that affect professional standards, access to the profession and the future competence of barristers.



The Committee brings together lay and practising barrister perspectives and, under its Terms of Reference, must have a lay majority. The Committee is required to have a majority of lay members who bring experience and perspectives from outside the practising Bar.



If you are motivated by public service and would like to help shape the future of the Bar, we would be delighted to hear from you.



For further information and to apply please click on the apply link below.



To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.




Documents

Generic supporting details form.docx

Recruitment Timetable



Closing Date - Strictly

12 noon on Friday 6 November 2026



Longlist Meeting

Monday 23 November 2026



Preliminary Interviews with GatenbySanderson

Late w/c Monday 23 / early w/c Monday 30 November 2026



Shortlist Meeting

Friday 4 December 2026



Final Panel Interview

Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 December 2026




How to Apply




This is an online application process and your application should only be submitted through the links below by the deadline, which is strictly 12 noon Friday 6 November 2026. Please note: late applications will not be accepted.



Applications must only be submitted through the apply link below.



To apply, please submit the following:

• A CV (no longer than three pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.


• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages), explaining why you want this role and giving detailed and specific examples of achievements in line with Section 1. Experience, knowledge and skills section of the Person Specification on page 11 of this pack.


• A completed Diversity Questionnaire. We're committed to implementing and monitoring our equality and diversity policies with the aim of recruiting, retaining and promoting staff regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say', but this information is very important to the BSB as we seek to build an organisation and develop policies that reflect our society. Any information you provide is confidential and will not be used during the selection process or to inform decision making.


• A supporting details form that you can download from the GatenbySanderson system; please complete this and upload as part of your application.


• The names and contact details for two referees who can comment on your ability to fulfil this appointment. Please note, we will not contact your referees, without your prior approval.

All applications will be acknowledged immediately. If you do not receive and immediate acknowledgement or if you experience any difficulty in submitting your online application, please check your spam and then contact barstandardsboard@gatenbysanderson.com before the deadline for applications.