Category: barristers

Barristers, solicitors, and the Four Inns of Court of England – OUP Blog

Posted February 28th, 2018 in barristers, inns of court, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘After many years of attempting to explain the need for two kinds of lawyer in the United Kingdom to exasperated and confused European colleagues – and even US ones – I have lighted on the following language. Solicitors are a primary market of legal services. They are profit-sharing organisations in which senior lawyers manage teams of junior lawyers to do almost everything their clients want. They operate just like any law firm around the world, save to the extent that their life is made easier by the existence of a secondary legal services market, which must be accessed either through them or lawyers overseas, which is known as barristers, or the Bar.’

Full Story

OUP Blog, 26th February 2018

Source: blog.oup.com

New website launched for barristers and chambers: MyBar self-service portal opens for Authorisation to Practise process 2018 – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 27th, 2018 in barristers, continuing professional development, internet, press releases by sally

‘A new self-service website for barristers and chambers to renew their practising certificates, update regulatory information, pay the Bar Representation Fee (BRF), manage subscriptions and applications and to book training, has been jointly launched by the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 26th February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

BSB agrees approach to improve transparency for clients of the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 26th, 2018 in advertising, barristers, consumer protection, fees, legal services, press releases by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has set out a revised approach to improve transparency standards for clients of the Bar. This responds to the recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) market study of legal services and takes full account of responses to a recent BSB consultation.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council responds to new AGFS announcement – The Bar Council

Posted February 26th, 2018 in barristers, fees, press releases by sally

‘Responding to today’s announcement of a new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) the Chair of the Bar, Andrew Walker QC, said: “For years, our system of criminal justice has suffered from a remorseless succession of cuts in funding, and wholly inadequate investment. This has included huge cuts in the fixed fees payable to those defence barristers who carry out publicly-funded work in the Crown Court under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS); cuts that, proportionately, have far exceeded those imposed on public service providers in any other sector. These are the very same barristers who are working tirelessly under an ever-increasing workload for those very same fees. Without their commitment, and their continued goodwill, the system would simply cease to function.” ‘

Full press release

The Bar Council, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB to proceed with ‘narrower’ transparency requirements – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in advertising, barristers, fees, news by sally

‘The barristers’ regulator has reined in proposals to require barristers who specialise in contentious areas to publish their prices, opting instead to focus primarily on those undertaking public access work.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Barristers ‘more stressed’ than NHS staff – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 21st, 2018 in barristers, mental health, news by sally

‘Barristers are less happy in their working lives than staff in the National Health Service, with stress and a failure of chambers to help with pressures outside work among major concerns.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Carry on dining: Bar Council defends role of Inns in education and training – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2018 in barristers, inns of court, legal education, news by sally

‘Making membership of the Inns of Court optional for barristers would disadvantage those with the least “social capital”, the Bar Council has warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 14th February 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘My printer broke’: Barrister escapes suspension after PC blunder – Law Society Gazette

Posted February 14th, 2018 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, news by michael

“A barrister who appeared for a client in court despite not holding a practising certificate has avoided suspension after a disciplinary tribunal accepted her arguments that IT troubles prevented her from applying to renew it on time.”

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 13th February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Raising the Young Bar profile – Counsel

Posted February 12th, 2018 in barristers, news, young persons by sally

‘Junior barristers, now more than ever, face a world which looks increasingly uncertain. Rick Hoyle, Chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee, looks at the worrying trend and what is being done about it.’

Full Story

Counsel, February 2018

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Repair company employee convicted for passing on customer details for PI cold calls – Legal Futures

Posted February 9th, 2018 in barristers, confidentiality, data protection, disciplinary procedures, fines, news, personal injuries by sally

‘A former worker at an accident repair firm who downloaded and sold the personal data of motorists to nuisance callers has been convicted under the Data Protection Act of unlawfully obtaining and disclosing data.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th February 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Do more than the bare minimum on parental leave, chambers told – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 9th, 2018 in barristers, flexible working, maternity leave, news, paternity leave by sally

‘The Bar Council has urged chambers to go beyond the bare minimum in supporting parental leave and hopes its new guide will encourage caring responsibilites to be more fairly divided.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th February 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

English barristers trained to be less pompous in bid to win over wealthy international clients – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 5th, 2018 in barristers, continuing professional development, inns of court, news by sally

‘English barristers are being trained to come across as less pompous in social situations in a bid to win over wealthy international clients.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 4th February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB publishes new version of its Handbook – Bar Standards Handbook

Posted February 1st, 2018 in barristers, codes of practice, press releases, professional conduct by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published the latest version of the BSB Handbook which contains the Code of Conduct for barristers in England and Wales. This introduces new authorisation to practise requirements, streamlines the public and licensed access rules, and introduces new obligations for barristers and BSB regulated entities to comply with the new Anti-Money Laundering Regulations. The new rules mean that there are four new reporting requirements for barristers looking to apply for or renew their practising certificates.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Handbook, 1st February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Underfunded justice system ‘crumbling’, top criminal barrister says – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, disclosure, legal aid, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘Failures to disclose evidence in rape prosecutions are a sign of the “dystopian disaster” engulfing the criminal justice system that has been caused by chronic government underfunding, the head of the criminal bar has warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Top barristers who refuse to become judges “will destroy infrastructure”, warns Vos – Litigation Futures

Posted January 26th, 2018 in barristers, judiciary, news, recruitment, remuneration by sally

‘Commercial barristers “of the highest quality” who refuse to become judges will “destroy the very infrastructure that has allowed them to prosper”, the chancellor of the High Court has warned.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 25th January 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

BSB to consider whether chambers need ‘work allocation officers’ to ensure equality – Legal Futures

Posted January 26th, 2018 in barristers, barristers' clerks, equality, flexible working, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to consider requiring that chambers have a ‘work allocation officer’ as part of its Women at the Bar equality project, it emerged yesterday.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘I began my career as a single mum’: female QCs changing the face of law – The Guadian

Posted January 22nd, 2018 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, queen's counsel, women by sally

‘Just 32 women are among this year’s 119 new QCs, but they hope their success will inspire others.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bar chair: Separation remains for a reason – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 16th, 2018 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘I’m sure every chair for the last several years has been asked to comment on a forthcoming fusion of professions,’ said Andrew Walker QC when asked whether the solicitor and barrister professions will maintain their separate status in years to come.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 15th January 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Exclusive: Solicitors choose “practical and proportionate” BSB regulation in ABS first – Legal Futures

Posted January 15th, 2018 in alternative business structures, barristers, law firms, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Solicitors setting up an alternative business structure (ABS) this month in Marlborough, Wiltshire, have chosen to be regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council lashes BSB over price publication plans – Legal Futures

Posted January 11th, 2018 in barristers, complaints, consultations, fees, news, publishing by sally

‘The Bar Council has strongly attacked plans by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to force barristers to publish prices and internal complaints records.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 11th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk