Fair share – Counsel

‘All members should feel that chambers is doing their best for them. But how can you check work is being allocated fairly, and how can clerks demonstrate the fact of fairness? Rachel Crasnow QC reports from a seminar addressing these concerns.’

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Counsel, June 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Lawyers make the grade in BAME ‘power lists’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 1st, 2017 in diversity, equality, law firms, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

‘Eight lawyers including six magic circle partners have been named in a power list celebrating the best BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) business leaders.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Outcry over proposals for late night and early morning court sittings – The Guardian

Posted June 1st, 2017 in barristers, courts, legal profession, news, pilot schemes, solicitors by sally

‘Plans to launch a pilot programme of flexible early morning and evening courts from next month are encountering growing opposition from lawyers.’

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The Guardian, 31st May 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

LPP: handle with care – New Law Journal

Posted May 30th, 2017 in appeals, legal profession, news, privilege by sally

‘Erosion of privilege—are we at the thin end of the wedge, asks David Owen.’

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New Law Journal, 19th May 2017

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Are LQCs independent (and do they want to be?) – UK Police Law Blog

‘A recent decision from the High Court in Chief Constable of Thames Valley v Police Misconduct Panel [2017] EWHC 923 (Admin) says that misconduct panels can now be judicially reviewed by Chief Constables – but gives rise to a number of new and potentially awkward questions.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 22nd May 2017

Source: www.ukpolicelawblog.com

A new understanding of ‘professionalism’ – Legal Voice

‘Many lawyers are in denial about the toll traumatic cases can take on them and their work. Time to drop the stiff upper lip, says Lee Moore.’

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Legal Voice, 11th May 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Here comes Billy, the robot junior clerk – Legal Futures

‘Innovative chambers Clerksroom is building Billy.Bot, a ‘robot junior clerk’ that will do the work of a traditional barristers’ clerk and also provide basic legal information to online users, Legal Futures can reveal.’

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Legal Futures, 13th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Anuja Dhir becomes first non-white circuit judge at Old Bailey – The Guardian

Posted April 10th, 2017 in diversity, judges, legal profession, news, race discrimination by sally

‘The first non-white circuit judge to sit at the Old Bailey has revealed she was often mistaken for a defendant or witness when she first entered the judiciary.’

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The Guardian, 8th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What happens when the robots get it wrong? – The Future of Law

‘As new technologies and automation start playing an ever more important role in the legal world, what are the risks in relation to negligence? As new technologies and automation start playing an ever more important role in the legal world, what are the risks in relation to negligence?’

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The Future of Law, 3rd March 2017

Source: www.blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

The only way is ethics – Counsel

‘Minding our standards: in the first of a new column for Counsel, Andrew Walker QC outlines fresh imperatives and initiatives for barristers to enhance their knowledge of ethics in practice and stay ahead of the curve.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Courts are running out of qualified judges, peers are told – The Guardian

‘Vacancies for crown court and high court judges are increasingly being left unfilled because of a serious shortage of suitably qualified applicants, a select committee has been told.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Neuberger: “Barristers increasingly shunning judicial careers” – Litigation Futures

‘If a career on the bench is not made more attractive financially, the rule of law could be undermined, and with it lucrative industries vital to post-Brexit economic prosperity, the departing president of the Supreme Court has warned.’

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Litigation Futures, 24th February 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Who gets Silk 2016-17? – Counsel

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in diversity, equality, legal profession, news, queen's counsel by sally

‘David Wurtzel reveals the story behind the statistics in this year’s Silk list and Abigail Bright imparts sage career advice from an expert panel of women QCs.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Maximising mini-pupillage – Counsel

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in barristers, diversity, legal profession, news, pupillage by sally

‘No contacts, no mini-pupillage? Dr Elaine Freer examines the state of work experience at the Bar in light of recent guidance for chambers and her own research on socio-economically disadvantaged aspirant entrants.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Legal records at risk – Counsel

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in archives, barristers, confidentiality, documents, legal history, legal profession, news by sally

‘The Bar is in danger of losing its distinct legal heritage, warns Clare Cowling – who outlines the considerable research value to be found in chambers records’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Legal Services Board launches probe into whether Law Society fetters SRA’s independence – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has stepped up the pressure on the Law Society’s role as the approved regulator of solicitors by announcing a formal investigation into whether the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has sufficient independence.’

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Legal Futures, 17th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lawyers sue to discover extent of information obtained by “corporate spy” – Legal Futures

Posted February 20th, 2017 in asbestos, confidentiality, legal profession, news, spying by sally

‘A solicitor and barrister who act for an anti-asbestos campaign are in a legal battle over what confidential and privileged information was passed on by a supposed TV documentary maker who was actually placed in the campaign to spy on its activities.’

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Legal Futures, 20th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LSB to put regulators’ efforts to improve diversity under microscope

Posted February 16th, 2017 in diversity, legal profession, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) will next year carry out the first formal assessment of how the profession’s regulators have performed in improving diversity in their parts of the law, it has announced.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Itchy’ clerks wigs are scrapped after 300 years to make Commons less ‘stuffy’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2017 in civil servants, legal profession, news, parliament by sally

‘The 300-year-old custom of clerks wearing wigs in the Commons has been scrapped to save money and make the Commons “less stuffy”.’

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Daily Telegraph, 6th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Supreme Court “needs to clarify scope of legal advice privilege” – Litigation Futures

Posted February 3rd, 2017 in legal profession, news, privilege, Supreme Court by sally

‘RBS’s solicitors have expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court will not now consider the issue of who is a client for the purposes of legal advice privilege, after its client dropped a planned appeal against the present “unhelpful and unworkable” position.’

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Litigation Futures, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com