Professional Ethics: Rules and

guidance

This is a composite list of the BSB Handbook references and other guidance that you are
referred to across all the material on the Professional Ethics course. It therefore allows you
to see, in one place, the rules and guidance you have studied ahead of the assessment.
The assessment will be based on these rules and guidance.

Workshop 1- Introduction to Professional Ethics

Introduction to the BSB Handbook

• Definitions in Part 6 of BSB Handbook:

• Barrister
• Unregistered barrister
• BSB unregulated person
• Legal services
Introduction to the Core Duties

• CD1
• CD2
• rC15
• CD3
• rC8 and rC9
• CD4
• gC18
• CD5
• CD6
• CD7
• rC15-rC26
• gC36
• CD8
• CD9
• oC21-oC23
• CD10

Serious misconduct

• rC65-rC69
• gC95-gC102

Workshop 2 – Duty to the court

• oC1-C5 and oC8
 • rC3 to rC7 and rC12
• rC25-rC27
• BSB Social Media Guidance
Equality and diversity

• rC12
• rC110
• oC28
• oC29
• Equality Act 2010:
• section 4
• section 13
• section 15
• section 47
• ACAS explanation of unconscious bias
You and the court (outcomes)

• rC3.5
• rC4
• oC1
• oC2
• oC3
• oC4
• oC5
Duty to act with independence in the interests of justice

• rC3:
• rC4:
• rC3.1
• rC5
• rC6
• gC4.2
• gC4.3
• gC4.4
• rC9.2
• gC9-11
• rC25-27
• gC12
Duty not to abuse your role as an advocate

• rC7
• rC3
• rC3.2
• rC7.1
• rC7.2
• rC7.3
• rC7.4

2
Workshop 3: Behaving ethically
• rC8-12

Behaving ethically

• CD 5
• oC6
• oC9
• oC7
• oC8
• rC8
• rC9
• gC27
Behaving ethically with witnesses

• rC8
• rC9.1-9.7
Money gifts and personal conduct

• gC18
• rC9.7
• gC17
• gC20
• gC19
• gC24
• gC25
• gC26
Referral Fees

• rC10
• gC29
• gC31
• definition of referral fee in Part 6 of BSB Handbook
Discrimination

• CD8
• rC12
• rC110
• oC28
• oC29
• s. 15 Equality Act
• s. 20 Equality Act
• s. 26 Equality Act
• s. 27 Equality Act
• s. 47 Equality Act

3
Workshop 4: Your duties to your client
• rC15-20
• BSB Handbook: Confidentiality Guidance
You and your client: overview and outcomes

• BSB Handbook definition of client

• oC10
• oC11
• oC12
• oC13
• oC14
• oC15
• oC16
• oC17
• oC18
• oC19
• oC20
Your duties to your client: rC15 and rC16

• CD1
• CD 2
• CD 7
• CD 6
• gC37
• rC15.1
• rC15.2
• rC15.3
• rC15
• rC16
• gC38
• gC39
• gC41
Focus on client confidentiality

• CD6
• gC42
• rC5
• gC38
• rC3-rC6
• gC43
• Bar Council Guidance on Data Protection

Considering alternative representation – rC17

• rC17
• gC49
• gC51

4
Not misleading your client

• CD2
• CD3
• rC9
• rC18
• gC53
• rC19.1-5
• gC62
Personal responsibility – rC20

• rC20
• definition of ‘BSB authorised individual’
• Rule S11
• rQ4
• Rule S19
• gC64-66
• rC21

Workshop 5: Client instructions

• rC21-30 and associated guidance
Authorisation and scope of practice

• rS6
• oC34
• definition of ‘reserved legal activities’
• rS8
• Part 3 – C1 of Handbook: rules on practicing certificates
• rS64
• rS65
• rS16
• rS31-rS39
Accepting instructions

• rC29
• rC30
• rC21
Focus on conflicts of interest

• rC21
• gC69
Terms of service and funding

• rC22 – rC24
• rC29.3

5
Returning instructions

• rC21
• rC25
• rC15.5
• rC25
• rC29
• rC26
• gC84