The Barrister Group offers up public access training to barristers impacted by Legal Aid cyberattack

London, 29th July 2025 – The Barrister Group (TBG), a leading legal services platform, has been officially accredited by the Bar Standards Board as one of just five organisations in England and Wales to offer public access training for barristers.  

The accreditation comes following an extensive evaluation process, ensuring that The Barrister Group meets the highest standards for delivering specialised training to barristers who wish to undertake public access work.  

Lauren Coupar-Evans, Head of Operations at The Barrister Group, said, “Our bespoke training course is meticulously designed to equip barristers with the essential skills and knowledge to excel in public access work. We’ve two of the largest direct access platforms in the UK, which affords us a unique insight into public access best practice — and we’ve taken care to embed this into our training.” 

The recent cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency back in April has left many self-employed practitioners across England and Wales facing cashflow difficulties as they struggle to invoice, or receive payment for, legally aided work.  

Recognising the financial strain this has caused, The Barrister Group intend to utilise this new accreditation to offer pro bono public access training opportunities to barristers directly impacted by the cyberattack, aiming to cultivate community and foster collaboration within the legal profession. 

"At The Barrister Group, we understand the financial challenges many barristers are facing in the wake of the recent Legal Aid cyberattack,” said Emily Foges, CEO, “And to help address this, we’re offering free training designed to equip those most directly impacted with the skills needed to take on public access work.”   

“Public access offers a significant advantage for those looking to quickly rebuild their income, as it is often paid up front. Between TBG’s training offering and our extensive public access reach, we hope to support affected barristers in accessing immediate cashflow, provide some stability amid the current uncertainty, and give back to the wider profession — beyond our own membership.” 

For over 24 years, The Barrister Group has provided legal services across multiple disciplines, supported by its custom internal training programmes and innovative approach to practice management and client service.   

The Barrister Group’s technology, marketing, and customer service platform supports two of the largest public access offerings in the UK — Barrister Connect and MyBarrister — and powers a portfolio of over 500 legal service providers throughout the country.  

Practitioners who have been impacted by the Legal Aid cyberattack and who are interested in benefitting from this initiative are encouraged to express their interest through The Barrister Group website.   

About The Barrister Group  

The Barrister Group (TBG) is a UK legal services platform enabling barristers’ chambers, direct access portals and ADR providers to outsource their technology, marketing, customer services, and regulatory compliance activities. 

In doing so, they equip legal service providers to focus on delivering expert advice, representation and alternative dispute resolution to solicitors, businesses and members of the public — all without the administrative burden. 

Since 2001, TBG has delivered innovative and flexible solutions to legal professionals and their clients, with an emphasis on improving access to justice and facilitating entry into the legal profession.