KC Appointments
current competitions, information for applicants and assessors.
selection of recently appointed KCs
backgrounds and experience of those appointed as KCs
The 2026 Competition
Applications for the 2026 KC Competition are now closed.
The award of King’s Counsel is for excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. It is made to advocates who have rights of audience in the higher courts of England and Wales and have demonstrated the competencies in the Competency Framework to a standard of excellence.
King’s Counsel are appointed from amongst practising advocates – both barristers and solicitors. They are appointed because they have demonstrated excellence in advocacy in difficult cases in the higher courts of England and Wales, or in tribunals or arbitrations.
More information about barristers can be found at barcouncil.org.uk, and about solicitors at lawsociety.org.uk.
The King’s Counsel Selection Panel is responsible for recommendations to the Lord Chancellor on appointment of King’s Counsel. However, King’s Counsel Appointments does not deal with complaints about KCs. Those are dealt with by the Legal Ombudsman; or by the Bar Standards Board for barristers or the Solicitors Regulations Authority for solicitor KCs.