Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Harman KC review: Bar Council conduct commissioner, profession-wide anti-bullying standards, ban on barrister–pupil sexual relationships, and BSB complaints overhaul in England and Wales

Published on: 10 September 2025

Published by a Law360 reporter

Legal News

Article summary

Harriet Harman KC

Harriet Harman KC, who chaired the independent review into bullying, harassment and sexual harassment at the bar, has put forward a new commissioner for conduct as one of 36 recommendations intended to address ‘systemic’ wrongdoing in and around the bar. Published on 8 September 2025, her report stresses that such behaviour is a problem at the bar and on the bench, within chambers and courtrooms, in open court and behind robing-room doors. She proposes that the Bar Council appoint the commissioner as a senior officer to co-ordinate its efforts to tackle bullying, harassment and sexual harassment across the profession.

The commissioner’s brief would include developing, disseminating and delivering guidance and training on good practice for all chambers and inns; advising individuals who have witnessed or experienced such behaviour on how they can bring complaints and the routes available; and providing support to investigations into alleged bullying, harassment or sexual harassment whenever requested by chambers or the inns. The report also calls for mandatory, consistent anti-bullying and anti-harassment standards, policies and training to be applied uniformly across the profession. Harman...

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