Poorly performing barristers will be reported by judges and colleagues to the Bar Council under new proposals drawn up by the body to improve the quality of advocacy at the Bar.

A consultation on the measures, which will see underperforming barristers reported to a newly created non-disciplinary body, dubbed the Bar Quality Advisory Panel, was launched by the Bar Council today (10 April).

Reported barristers will receive help to improve on their performances and will be encouraged to receive training in any aspects of the law they are not up to date with.

As first reported by Legal Week last year (November) the measures are likely to precede compulsory performance appraisals of barristers.

The Bar Council is also set to introduce a sweeping quality assurance grading system for publicly-funded advocates. The scheme, which will be piloted from October, is likely to be implemented as a four-tier grading system with junior advocates starting at level one and working upwards as they handle increasingly complex cases.

Commenting on the latest proposals, Bar Council chairman Geoffrey Vos QC said: "Quality control is not a threat to our independence [and] it must not become burdensome or disruptive. We are a big profession now [and we] must be able to produce evidence for our oft-repeated assertion that we provide the highest quality advocacy and advice available anywhere."

Bar Standards Board chair Ruth Evans added: "No profession can afford to carry individuals who are sub-standard or who let the profession down. The type of initiatives included in the Bar Council's consultation clearly illustrate the Bar's commitment to continuous improvement and to demonstrating that more can be done."