“Defence barristers face swingeing cuts of up to 25 per cent in their fees under government moves to freeze the £2 billion annual legal aid bill. Payments for some expert witnesses giving their opinions in cases will also fall by up to 20 per cent in an attempt to reduce a £192 million-a-year bill.”
The Times, 21st August 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The BSB has published its second consultation on the review of the rules relating to the structure of self-employed practice.”
Bar Standards Board, 17th August 2009
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
“The Bar Council has today published its response to the Legal Services Board’s wide-ranging discussion paper on Alternative Business Structures (ABS). The response from its Working Group on ABS reflects the Bar Council’s support for a pragmatic and proportionate approach to the liberalisation of the legal services market, as envisaged by Sir David Clementi in his review of legal services in England and Wales.”
The Bar Council, 14th August 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“As the Bar’s Code of Conduct provides that a barrister may not withdraw from a case in such a way or in such circumstances that the client may be unable to find other legal assistance in time to prevent prejudice being suffered by the client, all barristers are advised that if they have swine flu they should tell their instructing solicitors immediately with a view to making an application for an adjournment of any impending hearing or alternatively to make arrangements for the appointment of another counsel.”
The Bar Council, 10th August 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“Aspiring lawyers are now being offered as much as £60,000 a year, almost the same as an MP’s salary, before they even qualify.”
The Times, 6th August 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Second of two programmes which go behind the elegant facades of legal London to meet the barristers, clerks and staff of Outer Temple Chambers, one of London’s leading law chambers.”
BBC Radio 4, 28th July 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Please note this programme will only be available for 7 days after the broadcast date.
“Solicitors and barristers reached an agreement this week that would see both sides of the profession paid the same amount for advocacy work in family cases.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd July 2009
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Desmond Browne QC, the Chairman of the Bar, and Baroness Deech, the Chair of the Bar Standards Board, addressed barristers at a half-day Conference for the Employed Bar hosted by the Employed Barristers’ Committee.”
The Bar Council, 22nd July 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“The Bar is ready to redouble its efforts to promote fair access to the profession, Bar Council Chairman, Desmond Browne QC said today.”
The Bar Council, 20th July 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“The bar appears to be on the brink of a boom period, despite leading litigators warning that the anticipated litigation tsunami has failed to materialise.”
The Lawyer, 20th July 2009
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“Inspectors assessed internal and external prosecuting advocates in the Crown Court. Two-thirds were fully competent, including some very good. A quarter of advocates were lacklustre. Only 7.9% were less than competent, including some very poor.”
HMcpsi, 16th July 2009
Source: www.hmcpsi.gov.uk
“A third of all prosecution advocates are ‘lacklustre’ or ‘less than competent’ according to a review carried out by the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate published today.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 16th July 2009
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The morale of the publicly funded bar is at ‘rock bottom’ and careers advisers are telling would-be barristers to steer clear of legal aid, according to the bar’s chief.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 9th July 2009
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Three months after Legal Services Act 2007 reforms took effect, solicitors have gained the ‘upper hand’ over the bar, with 61 firms becoming legal disciplinary practices (LDPs).”
Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd July 2009
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The Chair of the Bar Standards Board, Baroness Ruth Deech, talks today of the need to take a scrupulous approach when considering barristers’ involvement in new legal structures.”
Bar Standards Board, 3rd July 2009
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
“The Bar Council today publishes a booklet marking the 60th anniversary of the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949. The booklet, Legal Aid: 60 Years of Public Service by Barristers, which will be launched at the Chairman of the Bar’s Media Reception at Middle Temple this evening, sets out the history of legal aid since 1949 and describes how barristers funded by legal aid have acted for some of society’s most vulnerable over the past 60 years.”
The Bar Council, 23rd June 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“A female barrister screamed in pain as acid was thrown at her after a man had his case dismissed, a jury heard on Tuesday.”
Reuters, 23rd June 2009
Source: www.reuters.com
“The Bar Council has today (13 June) published its Annual Report and Accounts, setting out its achievements and financial data for 2008.”
The Bar Council, 13th June 2009
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“Cherie Booth, QC, and Lord Woolf, the former Lord Chief Justice, will spearhead a new scheme today aimed at saving big companies millions of pounds in legal costs by settling disputes out of court.”
Full story
The Times, 9th June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Napier and Another v Pressdram Ltd
Court of Appeal
“A barrister who made a complaint against his solicitor to his professional body owed no duty of confidentiality to the solicitor or his firm not to reveal to others the result of the adjudication against the solicitor where the subject matter underlying the adjudication was nothing private to the solicitor.”
The Times, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
