Students will be able to turn their Bar Vocational Course (BVC) into a Masters degree under new measures to widen access to the Bar, as a result of one of 57 proposals unveiled in Lord Neuberger's report this week (27 November).

The proposals, which have been announced a month earlier than expected, would allow students who do not secure a pupillage to change their BVC into a Masters.

Other significant proposals include allowing applicants to know whether they have attained a pupillage before applying for the BVC and introducing a standardised course examination.

The recommendations will now go to the Bar Council, which will decide which measures to introduce and how.

Although Neuberger's working party did not decide to limit the numbers of BVC places, it did recommend investigations into the feasibility of a 2:1 minimum entry requirement and the possibility of a competency test.

The report also suggests BVC providers should implement a language test if English is not a student's first language.

Another proposal is that the Bar Council sets up a 'clearing house' system to ensure all available pupillage vacancies are filled as well as trying to generate more employed pupillages.

Part-time pupillages are among a number of suggestions aimed at allowing pupils to work at the same time as doing their pupillage. Students may also be able to secure cheaper loans to fund their BVC, with proposals to allow preferential rates from banks. This would work alongside the Inns of Court's scholarship and awards schemes.

In addition, all barristers involved in selecting pupils and tenants will be required to be trained in non-discriminatory selection procedures to avoid any 'unconscious bias'.

Modern initiatives focused on schoolchildren and university students include a DVD and podcasts.

Lord Neuberger commented: "I would be very surprised and disappointed if the proposals, when implemented, did not significantly increase the number of able people from disadvantaged backgrounds who will seriously consider, and indeed pursue, the Bar as a career."

He added: "This report will not produce headline-grabbing news, just a collection of practical and sensible ideas. Not all of them will make a big difference on their own, but I believe and hope that, collectively, they will bring about significant change."

The working party has suggested that the Bar Council create an Access Monitoring Group to ensure progress is made in implementing the recommendations and to report twice a year to monitor the situation and make further recommendations.

The proposals come against a backdrop of diminishing prospects for students hoping to start a career at the Bar. The number of pupillages on offer has fallen by more than a third since 2000-01, when it stood at 850. By 2004-05 it had dropped to 598. This has largely been put down to factors such as the introduction of compulsory funding in 2003 and the Woolf reforms.

Legalweek.com (27 November)