“Three city councils have undertaken the UK’s first ever joint panel review for barristers, appointing 29 sets, including No 5 Chambers, St Phillips [sic] Chambers and Hardwicke Building.”
The Lawyer, 13th August 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Consultations galore keep the Bar busy over the summer recess, Justice Aikens starts drawing up the final working party report and the Chancery and Commercial Bar Association appoint new chairmen. Claire Ruckin reports on the latest from the Bar.”
Legal Week, 2nd August 2007
Source: http://legalweek.com
“The Bar Council has elected Timothy Dutton QC of Fountain Court Chambers as its new chairman the body announced today (27 July).”
Legal Week, 27th July 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has rejected proposals to defer call to the bar until after a barrister has completed pupillage.”
The Lawyer, 25th July 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“Solicitors must be given greater freedom to take their clients’ cases all the way to the High Court. By Simon Davis.”
The Lawyer, 23rd July 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“Britain’s highest-ranking black police officer, Chief Constable Michael Fuller, will be called to the Bar today.”
The Times, 24th July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Loss of immunity from suit is retrospective
Awoyomi v. Radford and Another
“The judicial decision that advocates did not have immunity from suit in acts concerned with the conduct of litigation had retrospective effect and advocates had ceased to enjoy immunity from suit by 1991.”
The Times, 23rd July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free in Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“The demand for Chancery expertise both on the Bench and at the Bar is buoyant. The Chancery Division of the High Court, comprising the Chancellor of the High Court and 17 Chancery High Court judges, does more work than the civil side of the Queen’s Bench Division, and about three times more than the Commercial Court and the Technology and Construction Court combined. In addition, a substantial amount of chancery business is transacted in the County courts.”
Legal Week, 19th July 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
Awoyomi v. Radford and another [2007] EWHC 1671
“The effect of the decision of the House of Lords in Arthur JS Hall & Co v Simons [2002] 1 AC 615 was that advocates had ceased to enjoy immunity from suit by 1991. The cause of action in respect of alleged negligence in 1995 had therefore accrued at that time and not at the date of the decision.”
WLR Daily, 12th July 2007
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“The bar is often criticised for being elitist, Oxbridge dominated and simply outdated, but a glossary of clerking speak shows that the bar can be ‘down with the kids’.”
The Lawyer, 13th July 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“Following today’s announcement by the Lord Chief Justice regarding reforms to what judges wear in court, the Bar Council has announced that it plans to consult its members before the end of July to seek their views on the Lord Chief Justice’s announcement and Court dress generally.”
Bar Council, 12th July 2007
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“The VHCC Best Value Panel has issued guidance on the new VHCC scheme. The guidance explains the key points of the scheme and details of the tendering process as it affects advocates.”
The Bar Council, 11th July 2007
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“A barrister was given more than £1 million in legal aid last year, it was revealed. Ministry of Justice figures showed that Balbir Singh, head of Birmingham’s Equity Chambers, was paid £1,116,000 in 2005-06. Because he is not among the elite 10 per cent with Queen’s Counsel status, Mr Singh is technically known as a junior.”
The Times, 10th July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Bar Standards Board unveils “blush test” as key plank of new guidance on chambers hospitality as senior Bar figures say the regulator has managed a deft balancing act.”
Legal Week, 5th July 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“Erskine Chambers’ Michael Todd QC has been elected as the new chairman of the Chancery Bar Association (ChBA), the body announced yesterday (4 June).”
LegalWeek, 5th July 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“The Complaints Commissioner, Rob Behrens, has published his independent review of the Bar’s Complaints system. The report, which has been welcomed by the Chairman of the Bar, makes 52 recommendations for improvements to the system. The report concludes that the Bar’s system for handling complaints is good, but also finds that it is far from being ‘state of the art’ and needs significant changes to modernise its practices.”
Bar Council press release, 3rd July 2007
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“A wide-ranging review of the bar’s complaints-handling process has called for the implementation of 52 recommendations in a bid to address significant weaknesses in the current system.”
The Lawyer, 3rd July 2007
Source: www.thelawyer.com
“The Bar Council is joining forces with the Social Mobility Foundation to offer a placement scheme for 27 students from disadvantaged backgrounds later this month.”
Bar Council press release, 2nd July 2007
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
“It often surprises people to learn that the Bar’s Code of Conduct only came into existence in 1981. The first edition looks very restrictive, with passages specifying acceptable alternative occupations for barristers; detailed rules about where chambers could be established; and rules setting out what was permissable to put on a business card.”
Legal Week, 28th June 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
Counsel’s duty on judge’s omissions
In re S (Omission from judgment: Duty of counsel)
Court of Appeal
“Counsel had a duty to point out to a judge any omissions in his judgment so that the matter could be dealt with there and then. It was not appropriate to rely on the alleged omission to seek leave to appeal.”
The Times, 2nd July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
