Increased awards for pupil barristers – but also debts – Legal Futures

Posted March 14th, 2024 in barristers, debts, news, pupillage, remuneration by sally

‘Pupil barristers are receiving increased awards for their work but debt levels are also rising, a survey by the Bar Council has found.’

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Legal Futures, 14th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council warns regulator over plans for chambers – Legal Futures

Posted March 7th, 2024 in barristers, consultations, mergers, news, standards by sally

‘The Bar Council has warned the Bar Standards Board (BSB) not to go too far in its oversight of chambers and said its idea of encouraging smaller sets to merge is “inappropriate”.’

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Legal Futures, 7th March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Pupillage offers hit new record, exceeding pre-pandemic levels – The Bar Council

Posted February 26th, 2024 in barristers, diversity, news, pupillage, statistics by tracey

‘The number of pupillages offered has hit a new record — exceeding pre-pandemic levels, the Bar Council’s new Pupillage Gateway report published today has shown.’

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The Bar Council, 22nd February 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Barrister “recklessly misled” BSB in applying for practising certificate – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2024 in barristers, deceit, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct by michael

‘A barrister who “recklessly misled” the Bar Standards Board (BSB) into giving him a practising certificate (PC) by falsely stating that he was a door tenant at a set of chambers has been disbarred.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Black women at the Bar: challenges faced and a fairer future – Counsel

‘Bibi Badejo reports from a packed Inns of Court Women’s Alliance event examining the experiences of Black women barristers and imparting crucial advice for Black women navigating the legal profession.’

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Counsel, 19th February 2024

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Civil case over £237m collapse of London Capital & Finance opens – with counsel leaving – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 20th, 2024 in barristers, fees, insolvency, legal representation, news, unfair commercial practices by tracey

‘Counsel for a defendant in a civil case concerning the £237m collapse of mini bond issuer London Capital & Finance excused themselves from court on the first hearing day this morning – stating that there was no prospect of their fees being paid.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th February 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Barrister and part-time judge convicted of legal aid fraud – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2024 in barristers, costs, fees, fraud, imprisonment, law firms, legal aid, news, sentencing, solicitors by sally

‘A barrister and part-time immigration tribunal judge has become the last of a group of lawyers found guilty of defrauding the Legal Aid Agency by falsely claiming defence legal costs.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Half of barristers “generally content” with their working lives – Legal Futures

Posted February 7th, 2024 in barristers, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘Half of barristers feel generally content with their working lives, an increase on the previous time they were surveyed, a report for the Bar Council has found.’

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Legal Futures, 6th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New data on wellbeing at the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted February 6th, 2024 in barristers, mental health, news, reports, statistics by tracey

‘Today the Bar Council has published the Wellbeing at the Bar Report 2024. The data shows some improvements in wellbeing at the Bar.’

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The Bar Council, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

MoJ to press ahead with fixed costs changes amid JR threat – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is pressing ahead with reforms to the fixed recoverable costs (FRC) regime that came into force in October, opening the door to a possible court challenge.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New guidance on generative AI for the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted January 30th, 2024 in artificial intelligence, barristers, news by tracey

‘The Bar Council has issued new guidance for barristers navigating the growing use of ChatGPT, and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) large language model systems (LLMs).’

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The Bar Council, 30th January 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Women now make up 40% of Bar as diversity trends continue – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2024 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, statistics, women by sally

‘Long-term trends of improving diversity at the Bar continued last year, with women now making up just over 40% of barristers, Bar Standards Board (BSB) figures have shown.’

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Legal Futures, 29th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court refuses leave to appeal $11bn arbitration ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 25th, 2024 in appeals, arbitration, barristers, fraud, news, privilege, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The potential consequences for two lawyers the High Court has referred to their regulators are not reasons to grant leave for an appeal, the judge has ruled after setting aside a $11bn arbitration award against the Republic of Nigeria.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Deferring point of call will damage diversity and inns, says top KC – Legal Futures

Posted January 23rd, 2024 in barristers, diversity, inns of court, news, pupillage by tracey

‘Delaying the point at which barristers are called to the Bar until after obtaining pupillage risks reducing the diversity and strength of the profession, a former Bar Council chair has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Sexual assault victims charged tens of thousands of pounds for court documents – The Independent

‘Domestic abuse and sexual violence victims are being charged up to tens of thousands of pounds to access court scripts after being wrongly advised not to attend court, The Independent has learned.’

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The Independent, 21st January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The inside story of two rape trials: ‘It’s as bad as I’ve ever known it’ – The Guardian

Posted January 17th, 2024 in barristers, criminal justice, news, rape, sexual offences, trials by sally

‘In sexual assault cases, the work of prosecution barristers is complex, poorly paid – and essential. With conviction rates extraordinarily low and barristers quitting criminal practice in droves, the Guardian shadowed one prosecutor for two years.’

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The Guardian, 17th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

BSB to scrap requirement for barristers to have a degree – Legal Futures

Posted January 16th, 2024 in barristers, education, examinations, legal education, news, universities by tracey

‘The Bar Standard Board (BSB) is planning to scrap the requirement that Bar students have at least a lower second-class degree, opening the way for those with third-class degrees or no degree at all to become a barrister.’

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Legal Futures, 16th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB launches a public consultation on amending the definition of academic legal training – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 15th, 2024 in barristers, consultations, education, legal education, news by tracey

‘The BSB has launched a three-month public consultation to seek views on our proposed approach to revising the definition of academic legal training and to dealing with consequential waivers and exemptions.’

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Bar Standards Board, 9th January 2024

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

EAT rejects barrister’s appeal over £3m claim against chambers – Legal Futures

‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has rejected an appeal from a barrister expelled from chambers after posting a tweet about a “stroppy teenager of colour”.’

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Legal Futures, 11th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chambers “should not have to merge for regulatory reasons” – Legal Futures

Posted January 11th, 2024 in barristers, inns of court, mergers, news, standards by sally

‘The new chair of the Bar Council has pushed back at the idea floated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) that chambers could merge to make regulatory compliance easier.’

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Legal Futures, 11th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk