The General Council of the Bar, commonly known as the Bar Council, is the professional association for Barristers in England and Wales

Barristers in England and Wales

Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales, the other being solicitors. -Origin of the profession:The work of senior legal professionals in England and Wales...

. Established in 1894, it acts as a disciplinary body and a regulatory body through the Bar Standards Board

Bar Standards Board

The Bar Standards Board regulates admission to the Bar for barristers in England and Wales. In addition, it responds to complaints from the public regarding behavior and adequacy of representation by members of the Bar and conducts disciplinary proceedings. The most serious of these are conducted...

. The Bar Council also represents the interests of barristers.

History

The General Council of the Bar was created in 1894 to deal with breaches of a barrister's professional etiquette, something that had previously been handled by the judiciary. Along with the Inns of Court

Inns of Court

The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...

 it formed the Senate of the Inns of Court and the Bar in 1974, a union that was broken up on 1 January 1987 following a report by Lord Rawlinson

Peter Rawlinson, Baron Rawlinson of Ewell

Peter Anthony Grayson Rawlinson, Baron Rawlinson of Ewell, PC, QC was an English barrister, politician and author. He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Epsom for 23 years, from 1955 to 1978, and held the offices of Solicitor General and Attorney General for England and Wales and for...

. The Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

The Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the legal profession and Courts of England and Wales...

 designated the Bar Council as the professional body for barristers, with the role as a regulatory body being split off in 2006 to form the Bar Standards Board

Bar Standards Board

The Bar Standards Board regulates admission to the Bar for barristers in England and Wales. In addition, it responds to complaints from the public regarding behavior and adequacy of representation by members of the Bar and conducts disciplinary proceedings. The most serious of these are conducted...

.