BSB could publish assessments of chambers and encourage mergers – Legal Futures

Posted October 24th, 2023 in barristers, consultations, mergers, news, standards by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has floated the idea of publishing assessments of individual chambers as part of a new “graduated supervision strategy”.’

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Legal Futures, 24th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Nigeria wins arbitration award fight against P&ID as judgment referred to regulators over lawyers’ conduct – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A High Court judgment naming lawyers involved in an arbitration award under which Nigeria was ordered to pay a sum equal to its entire federal budget is to be sent to legal regulators, a judge ordered today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 23rd October 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Great deal of work” still needed on barrister apprenticeships – Legal Futures

Posted October 20th, 2023 in barristers, news by tracey

‘There is still a “great deal of work” to be done to ensure that barrister apprenticeships are ready for launch, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has warned, even though it is set to move closer today.’

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Legal Futures, 20th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council: “Hard to fathom” LSB’s criticism of cab-rank rule – Legal Futures

Posted October 18th, 2023 in barristers, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Bar Council has hit back at Legal Services Board (LSB) comments on the cab-rank rule, saying that it is “hard to fathom” why it would be against a rule that supports consumer choice.’

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Legal Futures, 18th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Relatively straightforward” for barristers to avoid cab-rank rule – Legal Futures

‘It seems “relatively straightforward” for barristers to avoid the cab-rank rule by relying on exemptions, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 17th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“No evidence” that barristers need new AML regime – Legal Futures

Posted October 16th, 2023 in barristers, Legal Services Board, money laundering, news, terrorism by tracey

‘There is “absolutely no evidence” that barristers and other advocates need a new anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing regime, their UK representative bodies have argued.’

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Legal Futures, 16th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers lose out in ‘all or nothing’ £150k fee claim – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 13th, 2023 in barristers, fees, news by tracey

‘Two barristers, one of them a silk, have lost what was described as an “all or nothing” court case in which they sued a former client for £150,000 in fees.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th October 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Surge of lawyers from Indian sub-continent seeking call to English Bar – Legal Futures

Posted October 11th, 2023 in barristers, India, news, pupillage, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has reported a surge of lawyers from the Indian sub-continent seeking to be called to the Bar in England and Wales – even though many appear to have no intention of practising here.’

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Legal Futures, 11th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

ChatGPT in the Courts: Safely and Effectively Navigating AI in Legal Practice – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 11th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, barristers, news by tracey

‘Artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced digital technologies are rapidly changing legal practice. Many solicitors’ firms now feature in-house innovation teams to identify and implement digital transformation opportunities; barristers regularly engage with clients and the courts through virtual consultations, hearings, and electronic bundles; and the Legal Services Board recently issued draft guidance for frontline regulators including the BSB to promote technology and innovation where it may improve access to legal services.’

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Bar Standards Board, 8th October 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Rise in bullying and harassment complaints against barristers – Legal Futures

Posted October 9th, 2023 in barristers, bullying, complaints, harassment, news, statistics by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has welcomed an increase in reports of bullying and harassment in the profession, saying the rise indicates growing confidence in how it deals with them.’

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Legal Futures, 9th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB has “no role” in promoting use of technology – Legal Futures

Posted October 4th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, barristers, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has “no role” in promoting the use of technology and there are “dangers in using regulatory levers to attempt to do so”, the Bar Council has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 4th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Global bar body publishes list of ‘critical’ challenges – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 29th, 2023 in barristers, legal profession, news by tracey

‘The International Bar Association (IBA) has listed the most pressing challenges facing the profession over the next five years – a first for the global body.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

High Court judge: Counsel’s fees should be subject to guideline rates – Legal Futures

Posted September 28th, 2023 in barristers, fees, news, remuneration, solicitors by tracey

‘It is “difficult to see the justification for treating counsel’s fees differently from solicitors’ fees” when it comes to applying guideline hourly rates (GHR), a High Court judge said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 28th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Speech by Rupika Madhura BSB Director of Standards (Interim) at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum on 20 September 2023 – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 28th, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, speeches by tracey

‘Topic: The role of regulation in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the legal sector – regulatory requirements and priorities, initiatives and next steps, sector responsibilities, and future areas of focus.’

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Bar Standards Board, 26th September 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Jail for businessman who targeted barristers with fake bombs – Legal Futures

Posted September 25th, 2023 in barristers, conspiracy, explosives, imprisonment, news, sentencing by tracey

‘The businessman who hired an ex-Royal Marine to plant fake bombs outside the chambers of two barristers against whom he had a vendetta has been jailed for eight years and two months.’

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Legal Futures, 25th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB publishes new guidance on barristers’ conduct in non-professional life and on social media – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 22nd, 2023 in barristers, codes of practice, consultations, internet, news, professional conduct by tracey

‘Following the conclusion of the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) consultation on conduct in non-professional life, the BSB Board has approved new guidance which we are publishing today. The guidance includes revised Social Media Guidance, new Guidance on the Regulation of Non-Professional Conduct, the BSB’s response to the consultation and revisions to BSB Handbook guidance.’

Full guidance

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Bar Standards Board, 20th September 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Counsel’s fees to be excluded from clin neg fixed fees regime – Legal Futures

Fees for counsel’s advice in lower-value clinical negligence cases will not be recoverable under the fixed recoverable cost (FRC) regime unless a child or protected party is involved, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has proposed.

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Legal Futures, 20th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claimant representatives furious at clinical negligence reform – Legal Futures

‘Claimant representatives have reacted angrily to the government’s decision to press ahead with fixed recoverable costs for clinical negligence cases that settle pre-issue for less than £25,000.’

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Legal Futures, 18th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council announces new contextual recruitment tool to boost social mobility at the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted September 15th, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, pupillage, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Council is boosting its commitment to social mobility at the Bar with the introduction of a contextual recruitment tool to the Pupillage Gateway system from 2024/25. The announcement was made in a speech on the future of the Bar by Nick Vineall KC, Chair of the Bar of England and Wales, last night (Wednesday 13 September). Contextual recruitment tools look at the context in which students receive their grades, so that recruiters can identify candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds who outperformed their immediate peers and who can demonstrate the qualities needed to succeed at the Bar, but who might otherwise be missed in a recruitment process.’

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The Bar Council, 14th September 2023

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Chair of the Bar calls for change to timing of Call in future-gazing speech – The Bar Council

Posted September 14th, 2023 in barristers, consumer protection, legal services, news, public interest, pupillage, speeches by tracey

‘Chair of the Bar Nick Vineall KC has called on the profession to call people to the Bar only when they have completed pupillage. The present system means that the title of barrister is conferred on people who are not entitled to practise as barristers, and he argues that this creates a real risk of confusion for clients and is not in the public interest.’

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The Bar Council, 13th September 2023

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk