Counsel Magazine

A career change, developing a sports law practice, 25 years at the Bar and still enjoying every day of it – David Sharpe KC shares his thoughts on his career and advice to others contemplating a later entry to the profession 

‘Hard work and commitment can open doors. I believe that I am proof of that,’ says Senior Treasury Counsel Louise Oakley. She tells Anthony Inglese CB about her journey from Wolverhampton to the Old Bailey

Barbara Mills KC wants to raise the profile of the family Bar. She also wants to improve wellbeing and enhance equality, diversity and inclusion in the profession. She talks to Joshua Rozenberg KC (hon) about her plans for the year ahead 

Governments who play fast and loose with the law get into real trouble, says the new Attorney General. The Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC talks to Anthony Inglese CB about what drew this boy from Cardiff to the Bar, bringing the barrister ethos to the front bench, and how he will be measuring success 

In the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice, 350 women silks celebrated 75 years since Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron became the first women to take silk in England and Wales. The Bar Council reports 

Lachlan Stewart wants to improve the working lives of all members of the young Bar across the country. The 2025 Chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee sets out his four key priorities for the year ahead 

There is overwhelming evidence that the profession needs to purposefully attend to its culture – but how can we make a start? James Pereira KC shares some thoughts, drawing upon modern organisational coaching principles 

Birgitte Hagem and Victoria Ellis explore the many reasons to retain a close link with your Inn 

Sam Thomas sums up the three biggest cyber challenges for counsel and chambers in 2025 – and one beacon of hope 

By adopting principles from elite athletes, barristers can elevate their courtroom performance through deeper case analysis and performance reviews, says Bibi Badejo 

Senior barristers reflect on the progress made since the publication of Race at the Bar: A Snapshot Report  in 2021, as well as the persistent challenges and cultural shifts still needed. Interviews by Mariam Diaby 

The WCWF, once again, invites judges, the HMCTS, chambers and clerks to ‘Consider the Carers’. By Emma Cross

As the international community strives towards a more inclusive future, ongoing dialogue and reform will be essential to harmonise the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with the complex realities of disability, says Christina Warner 

As non-court dispute resolution continues to develop, the Sikh Court shows how innovative solutions can be used to meet the evolving demands of justice, say Baldip Singh, Sharan Kaur Bhachu and Mani Singh Basi 

The winning essay is ‘A fiction of defendant participation: Single Justice Procedure offences should be moved to the civil jurisdiction’ by Hal McNulty 

The devil finds work for idle hands. By William Byfield

Reviews by Daniel Barnett

Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones KC identify good value bottles across the price spectrum – from festive fizz to reliable reds 

Reviews by Daniel Barnett 

Review by David Langwallner 

Heidi Stonecliffe KC, Chair of the Employed Barristers’ Committee for 2024, reflects on her year at the helm and progress made in implementing the Life at the Employed Bar Report 2023 recommendations 

And the winner is… the Bar Council introduces the barristers honoured in the 2024 awards celebrating the achievements of the employed Bar 

David Fardy outlines what to expect, what you will learn, and what you can gain from a pupillage at the employed Bar 

Heidi Stonecliffe KC talks frankly about her route to silk and why, as Chair of the Employed Barristers’ Committee for 2024, she wants to see greater visibility, progression and recognition for employed barristers 

From a CPS pupillage to Director of Legal Services at one of the largest prosecutors in England and Wales – Michael Jennings describes the interesting and varied life an employed barrister in public service can lead 

From a traumatic formative education to exceptional criminal silk – Laurie-Anne Power KC talks about her path to the Bar, pursuit of equality and speaking out against discrimination (not just during Black History Month)

Following the Lincoln’s Inn EDI Forum in Leeds, Glenn Parsons considers the tools required to increase diversity at the Bar – now and in the future

Championing underrepresented talent, 10K Black Interns 2024 is open for applications. Mentee Tendai Chiguvare and mentor Anna Walsh share their experience of the summer internship scheme at the Bar 

Bibi Badejo reports from a packed Inns of Court Women’s Alliance event examining the experiences of Black women barristers and imparting crucial advice for Black women navigating the legal profession 

Ensuring recruitment processes are fair, and free from bias, is essential to drive diversity at the Bar. Bindi Dholakia and Rachel Krys examine the theory and practice 

Julie Ahadi on the shift from theory to implementation, spoils to be had, and converting the trepidatious barrister 

Irresponsible use of AI can lead to serious and embarrassing consequences. Sam Thomas briefs barristers on the five key risks and how to avoid them

As use of AI becomes more widespread at the Bar, reshaping workflows, Andrew Hogan predicts a shift away from time-spent to value-based fees  

How to navigate open source evidence in an era of deepfakes. By Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees and Professor Alexa Koenig 

Alex Goodman KC on why our electoral laws need an urgent upgrade – they were not designed to address the corruption of popular opinion by AI and deepfakes 

The mentoring scheme for underrepresented applicants to the Commercial Bar – apply by the extended deadline of Friday 18 October 2024 for the 2024-25 cycle 

The Bar Council crunches the data to tell the real story of who gets pupillage... and when 

Newly minted Bar graduates compete at a ratio of 300:1 for a golden ticket to Wonka’s Criminal Justice Factory. The Secret Barrister explains why…

The Bar Standards Board on what you need to know about training to become a barrister in England and Wales

Laurence Cooper explores the high-stakes world of choosing a Bar training course provider