Category: barristers

Planning for the post-Brexit legal world – The Lawyer

Posted July 25th, 2016 in barristers, brexit, EC law, legal profession, news, referendums, solicitors by sally

‘On the morning of June 24th this year everything changed. Despite many predictions to the contrary, the people of Britain voted decisively to leave the European Union, and the political and economic landscape will never be the same again. Whether you voted leave or remain, whether you were aghast or euphoric, the only certainty was uncertainty. What will happen to the United Kingdom’s trade arrangements? What is the status of the City in a post-Brexit world? And after those big questions come a host of other, more knotty issues. What happens to passporting in financial services? What are the implications for employment law? What about data protection and intellectual property? How do you reshape your commercial contracts?’

Full story

The Lawyer, 25th July 2016

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Bar Chairman says Lord Chancellor is critical to our economic wellbeing – The Bar Council

Posted July 25th, 2016 in barristers, judiciary, lord chancellor, news, rule of law by sally

‘Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimee Doerries QC, welcomed the first woman Lord Chancellor, The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, at her swearing in ceremony.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 22nd July 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Making lawyers publish “average” prices will energise consumers, says panel – Legal Futures

Posted July 25th, 2016 in barristers, competition, complaints, consumer protection, costs, disclosure, legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘The Legal Services Consumer Panel said last week that it was “not blind to the challenges of increased price transparency”, but insisted that making lawyers publish “average” prices could be the catalyst for making consumers ask more questions about cost.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 25th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB pushes for fully independent regulators to prevent professional bodies resisting reforms – Legal Futures

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in barristers, legal education, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has argued more strongly than ever that professional bodies, such as the Law Society and Bar Council, must be fully separated from their regulators.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 22nd July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers still face flexible working penalty – The Bar Council

Posted July 20th, 2016 in barristers, carers, children, codes of practice, disabled persons, diversity, equality, flexible working, news, rent, women by sally

‘The Bar Council has launched a new flexible working guide for chambers, which includes proposals for possible rent reductions for those barristers seeking to work reduced hours or away from chambers because of care responsibilities.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 19th July 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar regulator to address unfair treatment of women at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 14th, 2016 in barristers, equality, press releases, reports, women by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board will be writing to every multi-tenant chambers across the country to seek their help in improving compliance with the Equality Rules, following the BSB’s recent survey of women at the Bar.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 12th July 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar mental health – Counsel

Posted July 13th, 2016 in alcoholism, barristers, legal profession, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘Is the Bar doing enough to help protect barristers’ wellbeing? Grania Langdon-Down investigates the initiatives for change.’

Full story

Counsel, July 2016

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Avoid/evade – Counsel

Posted July 13th, 2016 in appeals, barristers, disclosure, HM Revenue & Customs, human rights, interpretation, news, public interest, solicitors, Supreme Court, tax avoidance, tax evasion by sally

‘Recent news analysis of the Panama Papers, and high-profile-personality stakes in offshore funds, have turned up the heat in the tax avoid v evade debate. Kevin Prosser QC sheds light on this greyest of areas.’

Full story

Counsel, July 2016

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Female barristers report high level of sexual harassment at work – The Guardian

Posted July 13th, 2016 in abuse of position of trust, barristers, complaints, diversity, equality, harassment, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news, sex discrimination, sexual offences, statistics, Supreme Court, women by sally

‘Female barristers are frequently subject to sexual harassment and discrimination but are reluctant to complain for fear it might damage their careers, research has revealed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Almost half of female barristers have experienced discrimination, major report finds

Posted July 12th, 2016 in barristers, harassment, news, reports, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘Almost half of female barristers (45%) have experienced discrimination at work and 40% have experienced harassment, a major report by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 12th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council response to CMA interim report – The Bar Council

Posted July 11th, 2016 in barristers, competition, legal services, news by sally

‘Responding to today’s [8 July] report on the market for legal services from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the Bar Council agrees that wholesale reform of the regulatory framework may increase the cost of regulation and jeopardize valuable expertise.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 8th July 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

In full: The letter from 1,000 lawyers to David Cameron over EU Referendum – The Independent

Posted July 11th, 2016 in barristers, brexit, EC law, news, referendums, treaties by sally

‘More than 1,000 lawyers have signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister David Cameron saying the EU referendum result is merely “advisory” and not legally binding.’

Full story

The Independent, 11th July 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Appeal: no room for “grandiloquent, rhetorical” advocacy in modern trials – Legal Futures

Posted July 8th, 2016 in advocacy, appeals, barristers, benefits, fraud, news by sally

‘The “grandiloquent, rhetorical and at times almost facetious” advocacy style of a criminal defence barrister has no place in modern trials, the Court of Appeal has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar chairman warns on post-Brexit practising rights – Legal Futures

Posted July 6th, 2016 in barristers, brexit, EC law, employment, immigration, jurisdiction, legal profession, legal services, news, VAT by Mark L

‘The ramifications of leaving the European Union are likely to be wide-ranging and could restrict the ability of barristers to practise outside England and Wales, the chairman of the Bar Council has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court imposes restraint order on “obsessional” litigant who targeted lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted July 6th, 2016 in barristers, complaints, costs, harassment, news, restraining orders by Mark L

‘The High Court has imposed an extended civil restraint order (ECRO) on an “obsessional” libel litigant who sent over 100 text messages to the mobile phone of a partner at Pinsent Masons acting for Google.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council responds to latest LSB report on legal services market – Bar Council

Posted July 4th, 2016 in barristers, fees, legal aid, legal representation, legal services, Legal Services Board, litigants in person, news, solicitors, statistics by michael

‘Responding to the Legal Services Board’s latest report Evaluation: Changes in the legal services market 2006/07 – 2014/15 Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, said: “The Legal Services Board’s report on changes in the legal services market contains some mixed messages.

Full press release

Bar Council, 4th July 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Support for women at the Bar is there when they need it – The Bar Council

Posted July 1st, 2016 in barristers, diversity, equality, press releases, women by sally

‘Over the last few years, the Bar Council has rolled out a number of initiatives aimed at improving equal opportunities for members of the Bar.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 30th June 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Changes to barristers’ CPD: BSB consultation about the rule changes is open – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 30th, 2016 in barristers, consultations, continuing professional development, press releases by sally

‘As announced back in April, a new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) regime for barristers on the Established Practitioner Programme will be in place from January 2017. To prepare for the new CPD regime, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has published a consultation seeking views on the proposed changes to the rules and regulations governing the new scheme.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 29th June 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Flo Krause: Legal aid cuts have forced me out of my career at the bar – The Guardian

Posted June 29th, 2016 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

‘A barrister whose work for prisoners is legendary, spells out why she believes justice should be accessible for all, not just the wealthy.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Conflicts of interest – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 27th, 2016 in arbitration, barristers, bias, codes of practice, conflict of interest, disclosure, interpretation, news by sally

‘In the recent decision of W Ltd v M SDN BHD [2016] EWHC 422, Knowles J considered a challenge by the claimant of an arbitral award on the grounds of ‘serious irregularity’ under section 68(2) of the Arbitration Act 1996. That section provides that ‘serious irregularity’ means an irregularity ‘which the court considers has caused or will cause substantial injustice to the applicant’. The claimant alleged apparent bias on behalf of the sole arbitrator, H, based on alleged conflict of interest.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 27th June 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk