Category: barristers

Bringing barristers into harmony with the times – The Times

Posted March 26th, 2009 in barristers, news by sally

“Deech, 65, looks unlikely to do anything faintly. As chairwoman of the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the body in charge of education, training and standards of barristers, she is next week launching research on public trust in the profession, plus a reformed system for handling complaints against barristers — a telephone complaints line; improved plain English leaflets; and a more streamlined system to resolve disputes. Two weeks ago the board outlined a more user-friendly draft code of conduct for the 14,000 barristers in England and Wales.”

Full story

The Times, 26th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bar Council Remains Concerned Over Some Aspects of the Coroners and Justice Bill – The Bar Council

Posted March 23rd, 2009 in barristers, coroners, press releases by sally

“The Coroners and Justice Bill begins its Report Stage in the House of Commons today. The Bar Council, and the Criminal Bar Association, have welcomed Government concessions in relation to information sharing and in putting the decision for an inquest to be held without a jury into the hands of judges rather than the Secretary of State.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 23rd March 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Chairman sends detailed letter to the Legal Services Board – The Bar Council

Posted March 17th, 2009 in barristers, legal services, news, public interest by sally

“The Chairman of the Bar , Desmond Browne QC, has sent a letter to the Legal Services Board in response to its draft business plan. The detailed letter raises various areas of concern, including the fact that “promoting and protecting the public interest” is not set out as a regulatory objective.”

The full text of the Chairman’s letter

The Bar Council, 16th March 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Michael Mansfield, QC, to give up court work – The Times

Posted March 16th, 2009 in barristers, news by sally

“Britain’s best-known barrister is hanging up his wig after more than 40 years in the criminal courts — leaving a vacancy at the Bar for a big personality to champion the underdog and unpopular causes”

Full story

The Times, 14th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Plans for more cuts to legal aid put families ‘at risk’ – The Times

Posted March 12th, 2009 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Several hundred angry barristers met in London last weekend and another 250 joined the meeting by video link from throughout England and Wales. They endorsed a resolution warning that ‘the public interest demands that family legal aid is funded at a level which ensures quality advocacy for all clients; further cuts to the fund will put families (particularly vulnerable families) and children at grave risk’.”

Full story

The Times, 12th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Unpublished research confirms bar earnings divide – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 6th, 2009 in barristers, news, remuneration by sally

“Widely held suspicions that white male barristers earn far more than their female and ethnic-minority colleagues have been confirmed by unpublished research commissioned by the Bar Council.”

Full story

Law Gazette’s Gazette, 5th March 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Council Chairman Warns of Increase in Advocacy by CPS – The Bar Council

Posted February 20th, 2009 in advocacy, barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, press releases by sally

“Speaking in Vienna, where he is today addressing the European Bar Presidents Conference, the Chairman of the Bar, Desmond Browne QC, warned of the dangers of the ever increasing quantity of advocacy work being handled in-house by the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 20th February 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Council Welcomes IFSL Report: London Strengthens its Position as Centre of Legal Expertise Despite Downturn – The Bar Council

Posted February 16th, 2009 in barristers, news by sally

“The Bar Council has today welcomed the publication of the International Financial Services London’s (IFSL) Legal Services 2009 report. The report highlights the strength of London as an international centre of legal expertise which saw the legal sector grow in the 2007/8 financial year, despite the start of the economic downturn.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 16th February 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Family barristers voice concerns over impact on women of cuts in legal help for vulnerable families and children – The Bar Council

Posted February 13th, 2009 in barristers, child support, legal services, press releases by sally

“Government plans to cut legal help for vulnerable families and children have been greeted with concern by family barristers. The proposals are likely to impact on women trying to secure financial support for themselves and their children from ex-husbands who seek to hide assets.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 12th February 2009

source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid changes will focus help on most vulnerable families and children – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 12th, 2009 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Legal aid fees paid to family barristers are to be differently allocated to focus help to the most vulnerable families and children, and to combat rises in the family legal aid bill Legal Aid Minister Lord Bach and Legal Services Commission (LSC) Chief Executive Carolyn Regan announced today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 12th February 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Barrister flown back to UK and jailed – The Independent

Posted February 6th, 2009 in barristers, fraud, news by sally

” A former barrister who was jailed in her absence after fleeing to France in the middle of her fraud trial was back behind bars today.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th February 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law Soc, Bar Council join govt social mobility push – The Lawyer

Posted January 13th, 2009 in barristers, news, solicitors by sally

“The Law Society and Bar Council are set to contribute to a review of social mobility led by the government’s social mobility chief, Alan Milburn.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 13th January 2009

Source: www.thelawyer.com

The Bar’s recent initiatives to promote social mobility in the profession will assist former Minister Alan Milburn’s review being launched this week alongside a Government White Paper – The Bar Council

Posted January 13th, 2009 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“An in-depth inquiry into the background of entrants to the Bar by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury in 2007 produced 57 recommendations amounting to a detailed road-map for the promotion of social mobility. The Bar Council is hard at work implementing those proposals with the whole-hearted cooperation of the Inns of Court, which all student barristers join.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 12th January 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Serious Fraud Office appoints first general counsel – The Times

Posted January 12th, 2009 in barristers, news, Serious Fraud Office by sally

“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has appointed a leading criminal barrister and fraud specialist to the new post of general counsel.”

Full story

The Times, 12th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

A bar on equal opportunity – The Guardian

Posted January 9th, 2009 in barristers, judiciary, news, special report by sally

“No wonder aspiring women and non-white lawyers show no appetite for the practice of literally eating your way to the top.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bruce Houlder, QC, the top criminal silk taking on the Armed Forces – The Times

Posted January 8th, 2009 in armed forces, barristers, news by sally

“When appointed the first civilian in charge of military prosecutions, Bruce Houlder, QC, faced accusations that he would ‘let our boys hang out to dry’. Others said that he had been put in post to ‘whitewash the crimes of the military’. Houlder, who took over on January 1 as the independent Director of Service Prosecutions for all three Armed Forces, is determined to prove that he can steer a middle course.”

Full story

The Times, 8th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bar Council chair hits out at Govt’s in-house push – The Lawyer

Posted December 16th, 2008 in advocacy, barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“Incoming Bar Council chair Desmond Browne QC has said that the Government’s plan to increase in-house advocacy will have a ­detrimental effect on the self-employed bar.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 15th December 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

BSB issues second consultation on the implications of the Legal Services Act – Bar Standards Board

Posted December 12th, 2008 in barristers, legal disciplinary practices, legal services, press releases by sally

“The BSB has issued its second consultation on the implications of the Legal Services Act, focussing on legal disciplinary practices (LDPs) and the effect on the profession.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 11th December 2008

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Plans to regulate barristers reach final stages – Legal Week

Posted December 11th, 2008 in barristers, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is in the final stages of drawing up plans to regulate barristers, in preparation for the next round of reforms under the Legal Services Act (LSA).”

Full story

Legal Week, 11th December 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Desmond Browne QC sets Bar Council’s 2009 agenda: inaugural speech calls for a strong and united profession – The Bar Council

Posted December 8th, 2008 in barristers, news by sally

“The 2009 Chairman of the Bar Council, Desmond Browne QC, will set the Bar Council’s agenda for 2009 later today, in his inaugural speech to be delivered at 1730 in the Spy Room, 10 South Square, Gray’s Inn.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 8th December 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk