Hundreds of disciplinary cases involving barristers may be declared unsafe because of failures in the way the tribunal judges who sit in judgment on them have been appointed.

The Today programme has learned of an inquiry by senior barristers into the alleged administrative errors which may lead to the review of hundreds of cases.

Separately the programme has learned of other serious complaints made by barristers about the current disciplinary regime governing the profession including allegations of conflicts of interest, secrecy, maladministration and incompetence.

Marc Beaumont, known as the barrister's barrister, told the BBC's Andrew Hosken that he does not think it is an exaggeration to say that "the system appears to be in a state of collapse," and he believes it "is a matter of gross embarrassment for barristers that there system... is in such shambolic state."

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