Important changes to the approval of Pupil Supervisors

On 1 April 2019, the BSB Handbook was amended and the new Bar Qualification Rules came into force. The BSB also published their new Bar Qualification Manual.  Under the new rules, Authorised Education & Training Organisations (AETOs) are now responsible for appointing suitable pupil supervisors for their pupillages. This means that the Inns are no longer responsible for approving barristers as pupil supervisors.

The full press release is available here.

Approval

The Bar Qualification Manual sets out how pupil supervisors are now registered with the BSB (see Part 2, C2). The BSB no longer prescribes any eligibility criteria but they do set out some suggested areas for AETOs to consider when assessing the suitability of potential supervisors at paragraphs 1.9 and 1.10 in Part 2, C2 of the Manual.

Pupil Supervisors must receive training and refresher training that meets outcomes set by the BSB. The BSB has not yet set these but will do so by September 2019, in consultation with the Inns.

In the meantime, the Inns will continue to offer training as planned and the courses already arranged for May, July and September will go ahead. The dates and locations are below:

• 2 May 2019 - Inner Temple
• 8 July 2019 - Gray's Inn
• 26 September 2019 - Lincoln's Inn

Please note that the sessions are open to members of all the Inns.

Anyone who has already registered for one of these courses should continue to expect a place.