Surveyors, Accountants & Other Professionals

Licensed Access

As well as instructions being welcomed from solicitors under the usual professional client access protocols (including those working in-house within specific industries) many of the barristers at Ten Old Square advise and represent non-legal professionals under the BSB’s *Licensed Access” rules.

Licensed access is a useful licensing system, operated by the Bar Standards Board [BSB}, whereby organisations or individuals who are suitable to instruct barristers can apply to the BSB to be licensed to instruct barristers directly. The licence can cover advice or representation or both and permit licensees to instruct barristers either on their own affairs or on behalf of their clients.

Accountants (both Chartered and Certified) and members of other many other authorised professions, including members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation may seek advice from barristers directly without recourse to solicitors or other lawyers.

The term ‘Licensed Access’ replaced the terms ‘BarDIRECT’ and ‘Direct Professional Access’. Generally speaking, those who enjoyed access rights under Direct Professional Access have similar and, more often, even greater rights under Licensed Access.

The vital legal services we can provide include:

1. Private client (capital tax) advice and representation
2. Regulatory considerations for professionals
3. Strategic advice to professionals on internal management and workforce issues

Licensed Access work is accepted by us under the auspices of the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Terms of Work, full details of which can be obtained from our Clerks.

The Bar Standards Board ‘Licensed Access Recognition Regulations’ tell you which organisations currently hold group licenses. Those organisations are also listed below but, some other entities and individuals also hold single licenses.

Part I – Accountants and taxation advisers

1. The Association of Authorised Public Accountants
2. Association of Taxation Technicians
3. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
4. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
5. Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
6. Chartered Accountants Ireland
7. Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
8. The Chartered Institute of Taxation
9. The Institute of Financial Accountants

Part II – Insolvency practitioners

1. Insolvency Practitioners Association

Other professional bodies which hold a licence are

Part III – Architects, surveyors and town planners

1. Architects Registration Board
2. Association of Consultant Architects
3. The Royal Institute of British Architects
4. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
5. The Royal Town Planning Institute
6. Landscape Institute

Part IV – Engineers

1. The Institution of Chemical Engineers
2. The Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors
3. The Institution of Civil Engineers
4. The Institution of Engineering and Technology
5. Institution of Mechanical Engineers
6. The Institution of Structural Engineers

Part V – Actuaries

1. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Part VI – Chartered secretaries and administrators

1. The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators: The Governance Institute

Part VII – Insurers

1. The Association of Average Adjusters
2. The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters
3. The Chartered Insurance Institute

If you are unsure if you can instruct a barrister at Ten Old Square please contact our Clerks who will be happy to help.

Our Clerks will also provide you with clear advice on fees, availability and timescales for the retunr of completed work.

Training and Education for Professionals

Ten Old Square is well known for its complimentary breakfast and evening seminars concentrating on its key areas of expertise. These events are held regularly throughout the year and are useful training and networking events for like-minded professionals. Full details of our current seminar programme can be found here.