The 2025 Competition

Applications for the 2025 KC Competition are now closed.

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VACANCIES – Lay Members for the King’s Counsel Selection Panel

The Law Society and the Bar Council are seeking to recruit two lay members (one for an immediate start and one to start in January 2026) for the Selection Panel which recommends advocates for appointment as King’s Counsel (KC). The KC rank identifies excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. It is the most significant award available to an advocate, whether solicitor or barrister.

Click here for more information.

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As of 2024 KCA has updated its approach to diversity monitoring. Historical statistics are still available here.

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.