Internal Conduct Policies, Grievance Protocol and Peer Support Barristers

The Victorian Bar is committed to providing a working environment where barristers and those engaging with barristers can conduct themselves free from bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment. The principles on which the Bar is founded demand respectful behaviour by members of the Bar.

Conduct Policies

Below are links to the Bar’s policies against Sexual Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination. They deal with the Bar’s stance in relation to this conduct, and the Bar’s processes for reporting or making a complaint regarding instances of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination.
 

Grievance Protocol

The Bar Council and the Ethics Committee have developed a Grievance Protocol to resolve grievances about the conduct of barristers in connection with their practice.

This protocol provides an informal mechanism to resolve grievances about the conduct of barristers in connection with their practice. The protocol allows the Ethics Committee to investigate grievances, make recommendations, and encourage resolution of grievances by agreement. The Ethics Committee does not have power to impose disciplinary sanctions or make findings of unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct, however, the Ethics Committee may ask the President of the Bar to write to the barrister requesting that the barrister implement the Ethics Committee's recommendation.

The Ethics Committee is assisted by the In-house Legal team of the Victorian Bar. Please email ethics@vicbar.com.au for assistance.

Peer Support Barristers

Peer Support Barristers are barristers who have volunteered to be contacted by, and who have been trained to provide support and advice to, those who have experienced, or observe, workplace bullying, discrimination and/or sexual harassment. Your Peer Support Barrister will not take any action, undertake any investigation, or disclose any information about you or the conduct without your consent. For further information, please refer to the conduct policies. Please see below for the list of Peer Support Barristers.