Stephen Lawrence barrister to become director of public prosecutions – The Guardian
“Alison Saunders will become only second female DPP when she replaces Keir Starmer later this year.”
The Guardian, 23rd July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: barristers
Healthcheck detects public unease at bar regulator ‘bias’ – Law Society’s Gazette
“Complainants to the Bar Standards Board have accused the regulator of bias in favour of barristers as dissatisfaction grows about transparency and openness. The BSB’s yearly healthcheck survey found increasing public unease about its complaints process, despite the number of complaints falling in the past year.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd July 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Barrister conned officials to get council flat – Daily Telegraph
“A barrister is facing jail after pretending to be an unemployed single mum to claim a council house which she sub-let while working as a law lecturer and owning two homes.”
Daily Telegraph, 23rd July 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
BSB reviews the regulation of immigration advice and services – Bar Standards Board
Posted July 22nd, 2013 in asylum, barristers, immigration, legal services, news, quality assurance by sally
“Praise from clients for the quality of advice provided by immigration barristers is showcased by new consumer research, published today by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).”
Bar Standards Board, 22nd July 2013
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
DPP to meet judge following prosecution ‘farce’ in murder trial – Law Society’s Gazette
Posted July 22nd, 2013 in barristers, complaints, Crown Prosecution Service, judges, murder, news, prosecutions, sentencing, trials by sally
“Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), is to meet Richard Griffith-Jones, the judge who made a scathing attack on the Crown Prosecution Service after a murder trial descended into farce last month.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 19th July 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Updated Bar Council Taxation and Retirement Benefits Guidance – The Bar Council
“The Bar Council has launched updated taxation guidance for barristers to help them manage their tax position. This coincides with changes to the tax system introduced by the Finance Act 2013, which received Royal Assent on 18 July 2013.”
The Bar Council, 18th July 2013
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
High Court gets teeth into BSB disciplinary problems – Legal Futures
Posted July 19th, 2013 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, inns of court, judicial review, news, tribunals by sally
“The High Court has this week been hearing the first claim for judicial review arising from last year’s high-profile problems with the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) tribunals which, if successful, would throw the barristers’ disciplinary regime into disarray.”
Legal Futures, 18th July 2013
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Bar’s disciplinary system on trial in High Court – Law Society’s Gazette
Posted July 18th, 2013 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, judicial review, news, professional conduct, trials by tracey
“The legality of the bar’s disciplinary system has been called into question this week as the High Court hears three claims for judicial review. The cases have been brought by three barristers in relation to charges of professional misconduct brought by the Bar Standards’ Board.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 18th July 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Proposals for radical overhaul of bar practising fee sparks fury – The Lawyer
“Top earning civil barristers are threatening revolt over plans to charge them a practising certificate fee (PCF) based on annual income.”
The Lawyer, 15th July 2013
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Pupillage ‐ the way ahead – The Bar Council
“The autumn of 2013 will see Government proposals which may bring about the greatest changes to the provision of legally aided representation in criminal cases since the introduction of public funding for those accused of crime. The last two years have seen the most fundamental reduction of legal aid provision in family and general civil work since the introduction of legal aid in 1948.”
Full story (PDF)
The Bar Council, June 2013
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Now is the time for a total review – The Bar Council
Posted July 8th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, fees, legal aid, legal profession, legal representation, news by sally
“Barristers are such an easy target. Trite sneers are instantly available to the disappointed litigant, failed pupil or populist politician. We are ‘fat cats’ sitting in ‘Georgian terraces’ bleating about the ‘racket’ coming to an end. The natural response of the practitioner to these comments is anger and frustration.”
Full story (PDF)
The Bar Council, July 2013
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Bar Council Chairman: We will not facilitate a scheme which will wreck the criminal justice system – The Bar Council
Posted July 3rd, 2013 in barristers, budgets, competition, criminal justice, legal aid, news, tenders by sally
“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today stated that it has no plans to develop a quality system to facilitate price competitive tendering (PCT) for criminal legal aid. The Bar Council believes that real quality is based on choice of service providers, not price alone, on which the Government’s model is based. The Bar Council’s response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation clearly sets out its position on this issue.”
The Bar Council, 5th June 2013
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
Does the Legal Education and Training Review live up to its billing? – Law Society’s Gazette
Posted July 2nd, 2013 in barristers, legal education, news, pupillage, reports, solicitors, trainee solicitors by sally
“There is one quote in the long-delayed Legal Education and Training Review report that gives the game away – perhaps accidentally. ‘It became clear,’ say the authors, ‘that removing some significant parts of the system, such as training contracts and pupillages, would not be acceptable.’ One must assume, then, that the reviewers accepted their remit would be strictly circumscribed at the outset. Was it not their job to decide what ought to be ‘acceptable’ – or at least actively considered? Seemingly not.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Bar gets into shape for ABSs – Law Society’s Gazette
Posted July 1st, 2013 in alternative business structures, barristers, legal services, licensing, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey
“The Bar Standards Board is simplifying criteria for approving new business entities, ahead of an application to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures.”
Law Soceity’s Gazette, 28th June 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Courtroom treatment of vulnerable victims faces review – The Guardian
Posted July 1st, 2013 in barristers, child abuse, cross-examination, evidence, news, sexual offences, trials, victims by tracey
“An investigation is being launched into aggressive courtroom cross-examination of vulnerable victims in the wake of high-profile child sex abuse cases, Damian Green has confirmed. The justice minister said work would be carried out over the summer to find ways to curb hostile practices after a growing number of cases in which witnesses were left ‘deeply traumatised.'”
The Guardian, 1st July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Are you committed to the justice system? – Bar Standards Board
“The Bar Standards Board is looking for a new lay member and a new Barrister member to contribute to our Board.”
Bar Standards Board, 26th June 2013
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
The legal education training review is finally here. And not much has changed – The Guardian
Posted June 27th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally
“The highly anticipated report rightly focuses on alternative, cheaper ways to train but the test will be making non-traditional paths into law seem sexy.”
The Guardian, 26th June 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Setting Standards: The future of legal services education and training regulation in England and Wales – Legal Education and Training Review
Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally
Legal Education and Training Review, 25th June 2013
Source: www.letr.org.uk
Legal Education and Training Review report: a good basis but many areas to improve – Legal Futures
Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally
“There is a good standard of legal education and training in England and Wales – ‘for the most part’ – but quality, accessibility and flexibility need to be enhanced ‘to ensure the system remains fit for the future’, the Legal Education and Training Review research report has concluded.”
Legal Futures, 25th June 2013
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
LETR: business as usual for the bar as report rejects common training – Law Society’s Gazette
Posted June 25th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, legal profession, news, reports, solicitors by sally
“Training for barristers and solicitors is almost certain to remain separate following the Legal Education and Training Review’s rejection of the idea of a common professional course.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 25th June 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
