BBN Event: Making and Receiving Complaints

BBN Event: Making and Receiving Complaints - advice for practitioners on how to deal with bullying, harassment and racism

Monday 28th March 2022

Registration on Eventbrite

With a number of people experiencing racism, bullying and harassment at the Bar, and the rise in inappropriate use of social media platforms, the Black Barristers’ Network want people to be informed about the avenues which they can reach out to for support. From Talk to Spot to regulatory complaints, this event will equip you with the knowledge on what you can do when you see or experience inappropriate behaviour at the Bar.Equally, vexatious complaints may be made against you as a form of bullying and harassment. This event will provide you with insight into how complaints are dealt with at the Bar Standards Board, in case you become the subject of a complaint.

This talk will start from the beginning, to include what the Bar Council can do to support you. It will continue to the Bar Standards Board, to explain the kind of complaints they accept and what happens when they are made. It will then go on to look at hearings and sanctions for misconduct through the Bar Tribunals and Advisory Service.

Our expert panel includes:

• Elaine Banton – Barrister at 7 Bedford Row, co-chair of the Bar Council’s Equality, Diversity and Social Mobility Committee who also sits on the Race Working Group.
• Sam Mercer – Head of Diversity & Inclusion and CSR at the Bar Council, who is responsible for the design and delivery of equality, diversity and inclusion support.
• Mark Neale – Director General at the Bar Standards Board.
• James Wakefield – Council of the Inns of Court Director and Bar Tribunals and Adjudicatory Services Registrar.This event is open to all and free to attend but requires registration on Eventbrite. We encourage questions in advance which can be added when you register via Eventbrite.