*/
Restricting use of the term ‘lawyer’ is unnecessary and against the trend towards deregulation, according to the Bar Council.
Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Legal Services Market Study Interim Report, the Bar Council said there is no need to formally restrict the use of the title ‘lawyer’.
It said the barrister and solicitor titles are ‘well-known and well-regarded by the public in England and Wales’, and are ‘internationally respected’, and that it is not aware of any evidence suggesting a consumer protection issue that needs addressing.
Restricting the title ‘lawyer’ would amount to ‘the creation of a new regulated title’, which the Bar Council considered ‘unnecessary’ and potentially ‘against the prevailing trend towards deregulation’.
It said: ‘It would add another layer of regulation and a commensurate cost, which may be passed on to the consumer.’
The Bar’s response said that while the titles of barrister and solicitor are ‘highly regarded’, the scope of ‘lawyer’ is ‘unclear and uncharted’. The additional title, it suggested, could cause ‘confusion and uncertainty’ for consumers.
It said the public and consumer interest would be better served by the provision of more information about the regulatory status of existing legal service providers.
The Law Society told the CMA that it was in the public interest for the use of the title ‘lawyer’ to be restricted to those who are ‘suitably qualified and regulated’.
Restricting use of the term ‘lawyer’ is unnecessary and against the trend towards deregulation, according to the Bar Council.
Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Legal Services Market Study Interim Report, the Bar Council said there is no need to formally restrict the use of the title ‘lawyer’.
It said the barrister and solicitor titles are ‘well-known and well-regarded by the public in England and Wales’, and are ‘internationally respected’, and that it is not aware of any evidence suggesting a consumer protection issue that needs addressing.
Restricting the title ‘lawyer’ would amount to ‘the creation of a new regulated title’, which the Bar Council considered ‘unnecessary’ and potentially ‘against the prevailing trend towards deregulation’.
It said: ‘It would add another layer of regulation and a commensurate cost, which may be passed on to the consumer.’
The Bar’s response said that while the titles of barrister and solicitor are ‘highly regarded’, the scope of ‘lawyer’ is ‘unclear and uncharted’. The additional title, it suggested, could cause ‘confusion and uncertainty’ for consumers.
It said the public and consumer interest would be better served by the provision of more information about the regulatory status of existing legal service providers.
The Law Society told the CMA that it was in the public interest for the use of the title ‘lawyer’ to be restricted to those who are ‘suitably qualified and regulated’.
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Oscar Davies shares their lessons learnt
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
