Lawcast 183: Nichola Higgins, Chairman of The Young Barristers Committee on the new CPS panel – Career at the Criminal Bar – Legal aid issues – Charon WC

Posted April 21st, 2011 in barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, legal aid, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking to Nichola Higgins, Chairman of the Young Barristers Committee. On the 30th March of this year, the CPS announced:

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is today (30/3/2011) launching a new scheme for the delivery of prosecution services in court. All advocates undertaking prosecution work in the Crown Court (and Higher Courts) from October must be members of new, quality-controlled CPS Advocate Panels. The panels will be open to all barristers and solicitor advocates, and panel members will complement and work alongside CPS in-house advocates. Although the overall number of advocates on the panels will be reduced compared to the current lists, selected advocates will have more opportunity to undertake prosecution work. All current counsel lists will be abandoned when the panels commence on 1 October.’

We also looked at the broader health of the Criminal Bar, the impact of legal aid and the prospects for students contemplating a career at the Criminal Bar.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 21st April 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

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

We welcome report on vulnerable witness handling – Bar Standards Board

Posted April 15th, 2011 in barristers, press releases, witnesses by sally

“We have welcomed a report by the Advocacy Training Council entitled ‘Raising the Bar: Handling of vulnerable witnesses, victims and defendants in court’.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 14th April 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The era of the high-rolling criminal barrister is over – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2011 in barristers, crime, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“A handful of criminal barristers still make big money, but the rest may have to diversify if they want to eat.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Murder cases given just one prosecutor as CPS pressured to cut costs – The Guardian

“Barristers and victim support groups have expressed concerns that in some murder trials, including forthcoming cases involving multiple defendants, the Crown Prosecution Service is instructing a single counsel for the prosecution.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawcast 181: Baroness Deech, Chair of The Bar Standards Board on legal education and the regulation of the profession – Charon QC

Posted April 11th, 2011 in barristers, legal education, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking to Baroness Deech, an academic lawyer, former Principal of St Anne’s College Oxford, and a bioethicist. Most noted for chairing the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), from 1994 to 2002, Lady Deech sits as a Crossbench peer in the House of Lords (since 2005) and, since 2009, Chair of The Bar Standards Board ”

Podcast

Charon QC, 8th April 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

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

Bar Council Holds Inaugural ‘Bar Debate’: “Bang ‘Em Up Britain”: Are We Taking A Rational Approach To Sentencing Policy? – The Bar Council

Posted April 7th, 2011 in barristers, news, sentencing by sally

“The iconic Court One of the Old Bailey will this evening play host to the inaugural ‘Bar Debate’, arranged by the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 7th April 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Sumption delays Supreme Court elevation to act in oligarch case – The Lawyer

Posted April 6th, 2011 in barristers, news, Supreme Court by sally

“Brick Court silk Jonathan Sumption QC is to act as lead counsel for Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich in his legal showdown with rival Boris Berezovsky, delaying his expected appointment to the Supreme Court.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 6th April 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

CPS opens Advocate Panels application scheme – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted April 4th, 2011 in advocacy, barristers, Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions by sally

“The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is today launching a new scheme for the delivery of prosecution services in court. All advocates undertaking prosecution work in the Crown Court (and Higher Courts) from October must be members of new, quality-controlled CPS Advocate Panels.”

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 31st March 2011

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Bar Council Establishes CLAF Group in Response to Proposed Jackson Reforms – The Bar Council

Posted April 1st, 2011 in barristers, civil justice, costs, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today established a working group to explore the viability of a Contingency Legal Aid Fund (CLAF) in the wake of the Government’s response to its consultation on civil litigation costs.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 1st April 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Chairman: We Will Continue to Make Case on Effect of Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted April 1st, 2011 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has pledged to continue to make the case on the effect of legal aid cuts, as the Justice Select Committee announced its response to Government proposals.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 31st March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Update from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Bar Council – The Bar Council

Posted March 31st, 2011 in barristers, consultations, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, press releases by sally

“None of us, at the self-employed or employed Bar, has escaped the consequences of the coalition Government’s measures to reduce the national deficit. But the publicly funded Bar is bearing the brunt of cuts in public expenditure. This follows the cuts in legal aid announced by the last Government and the proposals for radical change in the publicly funded legal services market, the subject of recent consultation by the Ministry of Justice. We wanted to give you a short update on developments which affect so many practitioners and indeed the future of the Bar as a whole.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 29th March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Possible changes to the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) regulations – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 28th, 2011 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The SRA Board has approved changes to the QLTS Regulations which, if approved by the Legal Services Board, will put part-time students who began their BVC in 2009 in the same position as full-time 2009 BVC students, with regard to qualifying via the QLTR.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 24th March 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Legal advice ‘too expensive’ warns bar regulator’s chair – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 23rd, 2011 in barristers, fees, legal services, news by sally

“Legal advice is ‘too expensive’ and has ‘moved out of reach of the middle classes,’ the chair of the Bar Standards Board said this week.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar Barometer: statistical report – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 23rd, 2011 in barristers, news, statistics by sally

“The BSB and Bar Council have issued the first Bar Barometer publication, an annual report on statistical trends within the Bar. The Bar Barometer focuses on figures relating to the profile of the profession and those in the training stages over the past five years.”

Bar Barometer (statistical report)

Bar Standards Board, 22nd March 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Become a Barrister: Bar Council and Inns of Court Launch New Careers Website – The Bar Council

Posted March 22nd, 2011 in barristers, inns of court, internet, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, along with the four Inns of Court, has today launched a new careers website to provide a range of accessible information to school and university students. ‘Become a barrister’ (www.become-a-barrister.com) is a new portal for anyone interested in a career at the Bar and includes a series of films and case studies aimed at demystifying entry to the profession.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 22nd March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Bar Standards Board pushes back introduction of BPTC aptitude test – Legal Week

Posted March 21st, 2011 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has confirmed a new timetable for the introduction of an aptitude test for the Bar Vocational Training Course (BPTC).”

Full story

Legal Week, 18th March 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

New timetable for the introduction of the Aptitude Test – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 18th, 2011 in barristers, examinations, legal profession, press releases by sally

“The Bar Standards Board, the regulator of barristers in England and Wales, has issued a new timetable for the introduction of an Aptitude Test for the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 18th March 2011

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Silk round 2011 – reaction and the chambers perspective – Legal Week

Posted March 17th, 2011 in barristers, news, queen's counsel by sally

“Three sets of barristers’ chambers will each gain four new queen’s counsel (QC) next month as part of a 2011 silk round that saw applicants enjoy the highest success rate since 1995.”

Full story

Legal Week, 16th March 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

Bar Council survey of chambers managers – The Bar Council

Posted March 17th, 2011 in barristers, barristers' clerks, consultations, news by sally

“The Bar Council has developed a working group to consider whether it is desirable for clerks and chambers managers to be integrated more formally into the representative work of the Bar Council, and if it is desirable, how this should be implemented. We are therefore interested to learn more about chambers employees, particularly those with responsibility for chambers management, including clerks and practice managers.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 16th March 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Queen’s counsel: the merits of giving the best advocates a badge of excellence – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2011 in barristers, legal profession, news, queen's counsel, solicitors by sally

“The increase in the proportion of women and ethnic minorities on the new Queen’s counsel list is something the Ministry of Justice should celebrate.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk