Category: barristers

Bar Chairman – Justice Committee Report Provides More Evidence that Legal Aid Cuts Mean DIY Justice – The Bar Council

Posted July 15th, 2011 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the finding of the Justice Select Committee’s report on the Operation of the Family Courts, published today, which says that legal aid reforms risk an unmanageable rise in DIY justice, as vulnerable people are forced to go to family courts alone as litigants in person.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 14th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Become-a-barrister.com hints at bars to the bar – The Guardian

Posted July 15th, 2011 in barristers, diversity, internet, news by sally

“The Bar Council describes its new careers website, become-a-barrister.com, as a ‘portal for anyone interested in a career at the bar’, but its retro design makes it more like a portal to the 1990s.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lapland park man found guilty of threatening barrister – BBC News

Posted July 12th, 2011 in barristers, news, sentencing, threatening behaviour by sally

“One of two brothers jailed over their sub-standard Lapland theme park in the New Forest has been found guilty of contempt of court.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council Plans Week of Events to Promote Wider Access to the Profession – The Bar Council

Posted July 11th, 2011 in barristers, diversity, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, is launching a week-long programme of events to promote better access to the profession. This will include a one-day conference in Birmingham for sixth-formers interested in a career at the Bar, and the fifth annual Bar Placement Scheme, organised in conjunction with the Social Mobility Foundation.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 8th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

News of the World hires QC involved in botched hacking inquiry – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2011 in barristers, inquiries, interception, media, news by sally

“The former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald QC – who was implicated in the initial botched inquiry into phone hacking – has joined News International as a paid adviser to aid its legal case over allegations that News of the World journalists paid police for information.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Vilifying lawyers defending a ‘killer’ is a dangerous trend – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2011 in barristers, media, news by sally

“Media disgust with QC who cross-examined Dowler family is a blurring of lines that can lead to personal attacks on lawyers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal Bar Association Calls for Further Engagement Over the Treatment of Families Bereaved by Homicide – The Bar Council

Posted July 7th, 2011 in barristers, bereavement, families, homicide, news, victims by sally

“The Criminal Bar Association, which represents criminal barristers in England and Wales, has marked the release of the Victim Commissioner’s Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide by urging fair treatment for all involved in the criminal justice system.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 6th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

JAG submits QASA application to the Legal Services Board – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 7th, 2011 in advocacy, barristers, legal executives, news, quality assurance, solicitors by sally

“The Joint Advocacy Group (JAG) – made up of the Bar Standards Board, Solicitors Regulatory Authority and ILEX Professional Standards – has submitted an application to the Legal Services Board (LSB) for consideration of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (crime) – QASA.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 6th July 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Law firms ally with chambers to bid for criminal contract – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2011 in barristers, law firms, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“Fifteen law firms in south Wales are to form an alliance with a set of chambers to bid for a criminal legal aid contract from the Legal Services Commission in the next contract round.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar regulator sets up centralised examinations team – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 1st, 2011 in barristers, examinations, legal education, press releases by sally

“A newly formed team of legal practitioners and academics has been appointed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), as examiners for the new centralised examinations initiative. The new centralised exams will form part of the assessment of students undertaking the vocational stage of barristers’ training, known as the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 30th June 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council stands firm on Bellfield trial backlash – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 30th, 2011 in barristers, defence, news by sally

“The Bar Council has warned that defence lawyers may feel inhibited about taking on high-profile trials that could potentially see them vilified by the media, following coverage of the trial of Levi Bellfield last week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid awards: Doreen Lawrence presents prizes at upbeat ceremony – The Guardian

Posted June 29th, 2011 in barristers, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Despite £350m cuts threatening the entire legal aid system, the focus was on its lawyers’ many achievements.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council: Parliament Should Heed Experts’ Warnings on Legal Aid Changes – The Bar Council

Posted June 29th, 2011 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has written to MPs to voice serious concerns about the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which is scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons tomorrow afternoon.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 28th June 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

EAT allows barrister to pursue further claims against 4 New Square – The Lawyer

Posted June 28th, 2011 in appeals, barristers, barristers' clerks, employment tribunals, news, racism by sally

“The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has given permission for barrister Aisha Bijlani to pursue a racial and disability discrimination claim against four named individuals at her chambers, 4 New Square (4NS).”

Full story

The Lawyer, 27th June 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

We have hired Bevan Brittan LLP to help us develop our plans for entity regulation – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 22nd, 2011 in barristers, codes of practice, news by sally

“We will be working with national law firm Bevan Brittan LLP to progress our plans for regulating legal businesses. This decision follows a formal tendering exercise, where the standard of competition was extremely high.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 21st June 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

CPS – Changes to Advocate Panels Scheme – Message from the Chairman of the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted June 20th, 2011 in advocacy, barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions by sally

“As many members of the Bar will be aware, the CPS published a new Advocate Panels Scheme on 31 March 2011. The new scheme followed discussions between a Bar Council group consisting of Circuit, CBA and YBC representatives and the CPS.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 17th June 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Djanogly reveals lawyers’ pay from legal aid – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 20th, 2011 in barristers, law firms, legal aid, news, remuneration by sally

“The justice minister Jonathan Djanogly has provided details of the barristers and law firms paid the most from legal aid over the last year, ahead of the publication of the bill setting out the governments planned legal aid cuts.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Regulator Approves Quality Assurance Framework for Criminal Advocates – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 17th, 2011 in advocacy, barristers, news, quality assurance by sally

“A new scheme to assess the performance of criminal advocates has been given the green light by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) at its meeting on 16 June.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 17th June 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council and Bar Standards Board Launch First Survey of Barristers’ Working Lives – The Bar Council

Posted June 15th, 2011 in barristers, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, and the Bar Standards Board (BSB), which regulates the Bar, have commissioned the first survey of the working lives of barristers. The results, which will be published in the autumn, will inform both organisations’ short, medium and long-term strategic planning.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 14th June 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Exchange Chambers pioneers litigation funding – The Lawyer

Posted June 13th, 2011 in barristers, fees, news, third parties by sally

“Northern set Exchange Chambers has become the first barristers’ chambers to move into the litigation funding market through a tie-up with legal insurance broker Maxima – with both clerks and barristers expected to encourage take-up among clients.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 13th June 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com