Category: barristers

Barristers call for radical rethink on ‘tough’ sentencing – The Bar Council

Posted January 20th, 2025 in barristers, criminal justice, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Successive governments’ “tough on crime” pledges will not be met through longer prison sentences, the Bar Council argues in a new submission to the sentencing review.
In response to the Gauke review’s call for evidence, the Bar Council’s submission – written by a working group of criminal barristers – points to the fact that while sentences have been getting longer, the latest data from the ONS shows an increase in almost every area of crime.’

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The Bar Council, 19th January 2025

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Over-zealous barristers employing “ethically questionable” tactics – Legal Futures

Posted January 16th, 2025 in barristers, news, professional conduct, standards by sally

‘Barristers may “sometimes allow their zeal to advance a client’s interests to embrace tactics which are ethically questionable”, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 16th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barbara Mills KC inaugural address 8 January 2025 – Bar Council

Posted January 9th, 2025 in barristers, continuing professional development, diversity, equality, family courts, news, violence, women by sally

‘The new Chair of the Bar of England and Wales, Barbara Mills KC, set out her priorities for 2025 in an inaugural address at Inner Temple Hall on Wednesday (8 January): raising the profile of the family Bar (including in relation to tackling violence against women and girls), enhancing the wellbeing of the profession, making further strides on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and continuing to press for the resources needed to restore the justice system.’

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Bar Council, 9th January 2025

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

New Bar Council chair urges proactive coaching for all barristers – Legal Futures

Posted January 9th, 2025 in barristers, continuing professional development, diversity, equality, news by sally

‘Having a coach to support wellbeing should be part of everyday practice at the Bar like having an accountant and insurance, the new chair of the Bar said last night as she launched a new working group to promote the idea.’

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Legal Futures, 9th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Anonymity orders: the view from the coalface following PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969 (KB) – 12 KBW

Posted January 7th, 2025 in anonymity, barristers, birth, chambers articles, children, damages, families, hospitals, media, negligence, news, personal injuries, reporting restrictions by tracey

‘In this blog post, Finn Selman, pupil barrister at 12KBW, analyses the judgment in PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969 (KB) and discusses how anonymity orders are approached in practice, in the experience of various members of chambers. It is recommended reading for those representing protected parties or those seeking anonymity orders.’

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12 KBW, 2nd January 2025

Source: 12kbw.co.uk

£50k fine for lawyer over omissions when applying to join Bar – Legal Futures

Posted January 6th, 2025 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, disclosure, fines, Italy, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘A high-profile Italian lawyer who failed to declare various adverse findings about himself when applying to be called to the English Bar has been reprimanded and fined £50,000 – an exceptionally high sum for a Bar disciplinary tribunal.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Blacker fails in challenge to Inner Temple’s membership refusal – Legal Futures

Posted January 6th, 2025 in bankruptcy, barristers, benefits, charities, Charity Commission, disciplinary procedures, employment, employment tribunals, fraud, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Alan Blacker – the struck-off solicitor once dubbed by a judge as dressing “like something out of Harry Potter” – has failed in a challenge to a decision refusing him membership of the Bar.’

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Legal Futures, 6th January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court refers barrister to BSB for “abusive” judicial review – Legal Futures

Posted December 19th, 2024 in barristers, extradition, judicial review, news, professional conduct, standards by sally

‘The High Court has referred a barrister to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) for launching a judicial review (JR) which was “abusive and bound to fail” on behalf of a client facing extradition.’

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Legal Futures, 19th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Aspiring barristers from underrepresented groups supported by Bridging the Bar 2024 Outreach Programme – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 16th, 2024 in barristers, courts, diversity, equality, news by tracey

‘In November 2024, 17 aspiring barristers from underrepresented groups participated in a five-day paid internship at the High Court and Court of Appeal.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 12th December 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

BSB “not fit for purpose”, says Proudman after tribunal dismisses case – Legal Futures

Posted December 13th, 2024 in barristers, bias, disciplinary procedures, domestic violence, equality, freedom of expression, judges, judiciary, legal profession, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has proven itself “unfit for purpose”, Dr Charlotte Proudman said yesterday after a disciplinary tribunal ruled she had no case to answer over tweets she sent.’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister cleared of misconduct after criticising ‘boys’ club’ attitude in legal profession – The Guardian

Posted December 13th, 2024 in barristers, bias, disciplinary procedures, domestic violence, equality, freedom of expression, judges, judiciary, legal profession, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘A barrister has attacked misogyny in the legal profession after a misconduct case brought against her for calling out a “boys’ club” attitude was thrown out.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Record court backlog as victims wait years for justice – BBC News

Posted December 13th, 2024 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing, statistics, victims by sally

‘The backlog in courts handling the most serious crimes in England and Wales has reached an unprecedented high and is likely to rise further still.’

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BBC News, 12th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barrister apprenticeships to go live next year – Legal Futures

Posted December 11th, 2024 in barristers, government departments, law firms, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

‘Barrister apprenticeships are set to become a reality after their approval by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).’

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Legal Futures, 10th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Standards Board ‘failed to protect’ female barrister from online gender violence – The Guardian

Posted December 11th, 2024 in barristers, bias, disciplinary procedures, equality, freedom of expression, gender, harassment, internet, judges, news, sex discrimination by sally

‘A barrister has accused her professional regulator of failing to protect her from online gender violence, at the start of a disciplinary hearing against her for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude”.’

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The Guardian, 10th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Barrister apprenticeship standard endorsed by Bar Standards Board – Bar Standards Board

Posted December 10th, 2024 in barristers, legal education, news, standards by tracey

‘The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) are pleased to announce the Barrister Apprenticeship Standard. This new standard sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to become a successful practising barrister in England and Wales. ‘

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Bar Standards Board, 5th December 2024

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Race at the Bar: time to double down on race equality work – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2024 in barristers, equality, news, race discrimination, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Council is calling on individuals, chambers, and organisations at the Bar to step up work on race equality and keep the momentum going, as it publishes the follow up report to the landmark Race at the Bar report 2021.”

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The Bar Council, 4th December 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Former chair of Criminal Bar Association found to have ‘inappropriately initiated sexual contact’ with aspiring lawyer – The Guardian

Posted December 10th, 2024 in abuse of position of trust, barristers, disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct by tracey

‘A former chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) inappropriately initiated sexual contact with an aspiring lawyer, a disciplinary tribunal has found.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Lives on hold’: a day in the crown court where cases are delayed for years – The Guardian

Posted December 9th, 2024 in barristers, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, judges, news, statistics by sally

‘Backlog in cases set to reach 100,000 in England and Wales without action on shortage of barristers and judges.’

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The Guardian, 9th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Blurred distinctions” as legal aid solicitors do their own advocacy – Legal Futures

Posted December 3rd, 2024 in advocacy, barristers, civil justice, legal aid, news, reports, solicitors by tracey

‘The distinction between solicitors and barristers is becoming increasingly “blurred” in civil legal aid cases as solicitors do their own advocacy, research for the government’s review of civil legal aid has found.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High public confidence in barristers falters among ethnic minorities – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2024 in barristers, equality, legal profession, news, race discrimination, statistics by tracey

‘Public confidence in barristers is high, but lower among those from minority backgrounds, especially when it comes to perceptions of whether they treat everyone fairly, new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk