The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has embarked on an ambitious three-year project to rewrite the Bar's rulebook.

The project was kicked off this week with the publication of a consultation paper that calls for views on how the Bar's Code of Conduct should be updated in the light of the Legal Services Bill and claims by the Office of Fair Trading that parts of the code may be anti-competitive.

Up for review will be a host of rules, including the 'cab rank' rule, which is designed to prevent barristers from turning down unpalatable cases, and the ban on barristers forming partnerships either with themselves or other professionals.

Also highlighted for scrutiny are barristers' duties to the court, the rules governing complaints and disciplinary actions and the heavy restrictions currently imposed on barristers wishing to comment publicly on cases.

The launch of the review comes a year after the BSB was established as part of the Bar Council's efforts to anticipate the Legal Services Bill, which contains provisions requiring the professional bodies to ring-fence their regulatory arms.

Commenting on the move, BSB director Mark Stobbs said: "We need to take a proper look at whether the code is fit for purpose and up to date. We want to check there is a good reason for each rule, to see whether each rule is proportionate and to see whether they are based on evidence."

He added: "There is a lot to look at in three years and we are going to have our work cut out. The code has not really been looked at in its entirety before, but the profession is evolving and some changes need to be addressed."

Once the responses to the general consultation have been received, the BSB will launch a series of investigations into different aspects of the rulebook, with the regulation of alternative business structures at the front of the queue.

The BSB envisages holding the first in-depth consultation on this area towards the end of the year, with any decisions on changes to be made in the second half of 2008. Changes to the code will be introduced in tranches.

However, some barristers criticised the move, saying the BSB is conducting too many reviews. One senior clerk at a leading chambers commented: "The profession at the moment feels there is too much change for change's sake. I do not see what is wrong with the code as it stands and even if there is something wrong with it, it will be years before it is changed."

He added: "The Bar is a cost effective, specialist and self-regulating body. If they keep over-regulating, they risk putting people out of business."

In a separate move, the BSB has published its annual report for 2006, covering the first year of its establishment. Since 2005, the total cost of regulation has risen from £3,051,243 to £3,480,690. The body attributes this for the most part to increased staff costs.

Talkback: Is the Bar facing review fatigue? Click here to have your say.