Category: barristers

Tour Report #21: Podcast with Michael Turner QC, Chairman of The Criminal Bar Association, on the legal aid reforms – Charon QC

Posted April 30th, 2013 in barristers, judiciary, law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“Michael Turner QC has robust views on the proposed reforms which will have a considerable impact on access to justice, the profession, the public and have a devastating effect on the very cornerstone of our democracy.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 30th April 2013

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Legal aid: Lawyers in Wales agree strike action – BBC News

Posted April 29th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, consultations, industrial action, legal aid, news, Wales by tracey

“Lawyers in Wales have agreed to strike over UK government proposals to reform criminal legal aid. The Wales and Chester Circuit of Barristers has voted unanimously to refuse to sign up to a new system regulating the quality of criminal lawyers in England and Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

QASA gets go-ahead from bar regulator – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 25th, 2013 in advocacy, barristers, news, quality assurance by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has approved the handbook for the controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Revealed: Grayling’s plan to drive a wedge between bar and solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 25th, 2013 in barristers, Crown Court, legal aid, ministers' powers and duties, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Justice secretary Chris Grayling has sought to drive a wedge between solicitors and barristers over the drastic plans to cut criminal legal aid and restructure the market, the Gazette has learned.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Leveson: counsel’s relationship with barrister did not compromise inquiry – The Guardian

Posted April 24th, 2013 in barristers, confidentiality, inquiries, news, professional conduct by sally

“Lord Justice Leveson has cleared the junior counsel to his inquiry over suggestions she compromised its impartiality by conducting a relationship with the lead barrister for victims of press intrusion.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Update from the Chairman: legal aid consultation – The Bar Council

Posted April 23rd, 2013 in barristers, consultations, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“Bar Council met on Saturday 20 April, for the first time since the consultation was published. It was attended by all the Circuit Leaders and the Criminal Bar Association’s Chairman and Vice-Chairman.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 23rd April 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Council welcomes House of Lords report on EU Opt-out – The Bar Council

Posted April 23rd, 2013 in barristers, EC law, intelligence services, news, parliament, police, reports by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the finding of the House of Lords EU Committee that the Government has not made a convincing case to opt-out of about 130 EU police and criminal justice measures and that to do so would have significant negative repercussions for the UK’s internal security.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 23rd April 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

15 trials and 42 court hearings adjourned as barristers boycott crown courts in protest at plans to slash legal aid bill – The Independent

Posted April 23rd, 2013 in barristers, Crown Court, demonstrations, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

“More than 400 barristers boycotted crown courts in northern England today in what was described as the first militant action against Government plans to slash the criminal legal aid bill by millions.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminal legal aid cuts prompt protest by northern lawyers – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2013 in barristers, budgets, consultations, criminal justice, demonstrations, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“Hundreds of barristers and solicitors are holding an all-day protest meeting against government plans to cut criminal legal aid and end defendants’ right to choose their lawyer.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More than 1,600 law firms and barristers now on Legal Ombudsman’s complaints list – Legal Futures

Posted April 18th, 2013 in barristers, complaints, law firms, legal ombudsman, news by sally

“The names of 1,617 law firms and barristers who have been the subject of a formal decision by the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) are now in the public domain.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th April 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council launches first ever Bar Nursery – The Bar Council

Posted April 17th, 2013 in barristers, children, inns of court, legal profession, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today launched the ‘Bar Nursery at Smithfield House’, a central London childcare facility in partnership with Smithfield House Children’s Nursery.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 16th April 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Barristers: help shape the future of supervision – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 16th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, news, professional conduct by sally

“Practising barristers can help shape future policy by having their say on a new approach to the way they are supervised by the Bar Standards Board.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 16th April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The Future of commercial litigation: Bleak House or Great Expectations? – Littleton Chambers

Posted April 11th, 2013 in barristers, costs, fees, news, solicitors by sally

The Future of commercial litigation: Bleak House or Great Expectations? (PDF)

Littleton Chambers, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Barrister Conduct ‘Trends and Performance’ Report Released – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 8th, 2013 in barristers, legal aid, litigants in person, news, professional conduct, reports, statistics by sally

he Bar Standards Board’s Professional Conduct Department (PCD) has today released its third quarter ‘trends and performance’ report.

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 8th April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Northern barristers vote en masse to reject QASA – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 5th, 2013 in barristers, elections, judicial review, news, quality assurance by sally

“Northern circuit barristers have overwhelmingly voted to reject the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) in a secret ballot carried out at end of the March.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Practice Bar Course Aptitude Test now available – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 4th, 2013 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has created a practice Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) to help students familiarise themselves with the test structure and question style used in the actual BCAT exam.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 3rd April 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Behind the scenes at the Crown Prosecution Service – BBC News

Posted April 4th, 2013 in barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, government departments, news, prosecutions, queen's counsel by sally

“The BBC’s Legal Correspondent Clive Coleman went to see Brian Altman QC who is soon to retire, as First Senior Treasury Counsel, a post that that has seen him prosecute some of the biggest and most notorious criminal cases of recent times.”

Listen

BBC News, 4th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Public access rules approved by LSB – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in barristers, civil justice, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today approved the removal of two rules around public access work that will promote greater access to justice. At the same time the BSB is strengthening the training that all public access barristers are required to undertake.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 28th March 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Candid camera? Barristers now free to talk to the media about their cases – Legal Futures

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in barristers, codes of practice, media, news, professional conduct by sally

“Barristers can now speak to the press about their cases, after the Bar’s Code of Conduct was changed.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Fresh cab-rank rule row as LSB approves public access reforms – Legal Futures

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in barristers, codes of practice, legal services, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Legal Services Board (LSB) has criticised the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) failure to apply the cab-rank rule to public access work and said this omission will reduce the impact of rule changes that widen the scope for barristers dealing directly with clients.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk