The appointment of 93 new Queen’s Counsel (QC) has been announced this morning (14 January), with the number of females awarded silk increasing by 39%. The Queen’s Counsel Selection Panel, however, has expressed concern that the number of female applicants ‘remains stubbornly low’.
Broadening ‘the public’s choice’: Bar Standards Board to regulate businesses from 2015
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has received approval from the Legal Services Board (LSB) for its application to regulate businesses that are authorised to carry out and provide reserved legal activities.
Significant departures: BLP and Olswang heads of arbitration both leave for the bar
Nicholas Fletcher QC, who has led Berwin Leighton Paisner‘s international arbitration practice for the last five years, has resigned from the firm to join barristers’ chambers 4 New Square while Olswang arbitration chief Andrew Aglionby is also set to leave for the bar.
BSB enforcement report shows improvements with disciplinary action doubling as body appoints new board members
With the Bar having long been slower to change in a post-Legal Services Act environment compared to its solicitor counterpart, its regulator, the Bar Standards Board, has published its annual report on the body’s enforcement activities noting improved performance. The barristers’ regulator has further shaken up its governance and appointed three new board members.
The Bar: BSB picks Sir Andrew Burns as new lay chair
The Bar Standards Board has selected Sir Andrew Burns as its next chair with Baroness Ruth Deech QC due to reach her term limit at the end of 2014. Continue reading “The Bar: BSB picks Sir Andrew Burns as new lay chair”
Guest post: A profession not at ease with itself or the world? The Bar’s working life survey
I took a little time to browse the Bar’s working life survey. It’s a large survey. Although it’s not immediately clear how representative it is, almost 3,300 barristers completed it. Here are some of the things I noted (this is a rather idiosyncratic list so read the report if you want a fuller view): Continue reading “Guest post: A profession not at ease with itself or the world? The Bar’s working life survey”
Bar and MoJ end fee impasse over high value legal aid fraud cases with further talks underway
Leaders at the Bar have agreed an interim deal with the Ministry of Justice to end the fee impasse that has threatened to disrupt high value legal aid fraud trials, with discussions to reform the payment scheme for the most costly cases underway. Continue reading “Bar and MoJ end fee impasse over high value legal aid fraud cases with further talks underway”
Guest post: public access to the Bar – more sideshow than shifting paradigms
Recent headlines seem to suggest that the Bar is gearing up to ‘bypass’ solicitors and embark upon an all-out war with for business in these increasingly competitive times.
Continue reading “Guest post: public access to the Bar – more sideshow than shifting paradigms”
The Bar: 20 Essex Street announces new joint heads of chambers
Leading commercial litigation set 20 Essex Street has today (18 June) announced the appointment of Christopher Hancock QC and Duncan Matthews QC as joint heads of chambers from 1 August, where they will succeed outgoing longstanding chief Iain Milligan QC. Continue reading “The Bar: 20 Essex Street announces new joint heads of chambers”
The Bar 1-0 MoJ: Crown court halts serious fraud trial over lack of representation
In an embarrassing setback for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in its long running dispute over legal aid with the Bar, a Crown court judge today (1 January) halted a costly publicly funded serious fraud trial after the defendants failed to find representation. Continue reading “The Bar 1-0 MoJ: Crown court halts serious fraud trial over lack of representation”