Transcript of the Lord Chief Justice’s Annual Press Conference 2015 – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, held his annual press conference on Tuesday, 17 November, 2015, at the Royal Courts of Justice.’

Full transcript

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th November 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Two-tier contracts delayed – Bar Council response – The Bar Council

Posted November 17th, 2015 in barristers, contracts, delay, press releases by tracey

‘Chairman of the Bar Alistair MacDonald QC said:”The Bar Council has always opposed the two-tier scheme and has consistently asked the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to re-consider these plans. We therefore welcome today’s decision to postpone the implementation of the scheme in the light of the legal challenges which have been brought.”‘

Full press release

The Bar Council. 13th November 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Pulling rank – New Law Journal

Posted November 16th, 2015 in barristers, news, professional conduct by sally

‘Is the cab rank rule still in operation, asks Jon Robins.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 13th November 2015

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Suspension for barrister who appeared in court without practising certificate – Legal Futures

Posted November 16th, 2015 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, news by sally

‘A Bar disciplinary tribunal has suspended barrister Martin Wynne Jones for three months for representing clients in court without a practising certificate.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Indian lawyer disbarred from Inner Temple a century ago is reinstated – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2015 in barristers, disqualification, inns of court, news, professional conduct by sally

‘More than a century after being disbarred for advocating independence for India, the nationalist leader and barrister Shyamji Krishna Varma has been posthumously reinstated by London’s Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Barristers “under pressure” to agree not to act against big clients if they want their work – Legal Futures

‘Barristers need to resist pressure from big clients and government departments to agree not to act against them in the future if they want instructions, the Bar Council has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 11th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Crown courts in England and Wales ‘chaotic and archaic’ – BBC News

Posted November 4th, 2015 in barristers, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, news, reports, solicitors, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Victims and witnesses are often left marginalised in a court system that is “archaic” and “chaotic”, a report by the Criminal Justice Alliance has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Insisting on a 2:1 degree for barristers “could discriminate against BAME students” – Legal Futures

‘Insisting on an upper second class degree for future barristers could impose a “discriminatory burden” on BAME students, who are less likely to obtain them, a leading academic has argued in response to a Bar Standards Board (BSB) consultation that raises the possibility.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 29th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar 2015: barristers lukewarm on innovative business models – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 27th, 2015 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, news by sally

‘Barristers appear reluctant to embrace new ways of doing business following the liberalisation of the legal services market.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New find a barrister website could help public save money – The Bar Council

Posted October 21st, 2015 in barristers, costs, internet, news, solicitors by sally

‘Consumers, the public and businesses can now save money by going directly to a barrister instead of having to go through a solicitor when they need a lawyer, thanks to a new website.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 20th October 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Take-up of barrister entities is “increasing significantly” – Legal Futures

Posted October 20th, 2015 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, news by sally

‘Barristers have been slow to adopt new entity models, but take-up is “increasing significantly” since the application process became more streamlined, according to the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers set for freedom to operate through corporate vehicles and agencies – Legal Futures

Posted October 15th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, employment, news by sally

‘Barristers are to be allowed to operate through agencies and corporate vehicles under proposals released today by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 13th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar regulator wants to remove restrictions on employed barristers, seeking views – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 14th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, employment, law firms, press releases by tracey

‘The regulator is seeking to broaden the definition of employment for barristers working in-house for organisations that are not authorised law firms, in a new consultation launched today.’

Full press release

Bar Stadards Board, 13th October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Putting the cab into the cab-rank rule: BSB fines barrister over taxi firm conviction – Legal Futures

Posted October 7th, 2015 in barristers, company directors, fines, licensing, news, professional conduct, taxis by sally

‘A barrister convicted by a magistrates’ court of failing to get licenses for his taxi firm has been fined £600 by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB: criminal advocacy reforms “should not be designed around” any particular group of lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted October 7th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, criminal justice, news, quality assurance, solicitors by sally

‘It is important that government plans to enhance the quality of criminal defence advocacy in publicly funded cases “should not be designed around one particular professional group”, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB Chair Sir Andrew Burns sets his vision for the future of the Bar regulator – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 6th, 2015 in barristers, legal profession, news, speeches by sally

‘In his first keynote speech as Chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB), Sir Andrew Burns urged barristers and key stakeholders to engage with the regulator on the future direction of Bar regulation at a networking function tonight at Lincoln’s Inn.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 5th October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

New £12,000 award created to support pupils in need at the public bar – The Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2015 in barristers, news, pupillage by sally

‘The Incorporated Council of Law Reporting (ICLR) has created a new annual bursary to support a pupil in need at the publicly funded Bar.’

Full story

The Lawyer, 6th October 2015

Source: www.thelawyer.com

“Many parts of the Bar are in severe pain,” acknowledges BSB chair – Legal Futures

Posted October 6th, 2015 in barristers, consultations, litigants in person, news, speeches by sally

‘The present model for delivering justice in the criminal, family and immigration courts has become “increasingly challenged” and “many parts of the Bar are in severe pain”, the chair of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 6th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Regulators issue consultation on minor changes to QASA – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, consultations, quality assurance, solicitors by tracey

‘Legal regulators Bar Standards Board (BSB), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and CILEx Regulation, the three also known as the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG), are preparing for the implementation of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) by launching a new consultation today.’

Full consultation

Bar Standards Board, 1st October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council working group re-designs AGFS model – The Bar Council

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in barristers, Crown Court, fees, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘A Bar Council working group has today put forward to the Ministry of Justice a completely re-drawn graduated fee scheme for advocacy in Crown Court cases. For legally aided criminal defence cases in the Crown Court where the trial is expected to last between 1 to 60 days, the defence advocate is paid by a formula in the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS).’

Full story

The Bar Council, 1st October 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk