Features

Towards the end of his training contract, the author decided to transfer to the Bar. He also applied for newly-qualified positions as a solicitor. He describes a Summer of over 60 interviews, comparing chambers’ interviews with those conducted by City law firms 

Towards the end of my training contract at a “magic circle” firm, I decided to pursue my long-held ambition to transfer to the Bar. So began the quest for one of the 460 pupillages contested by over 4,000 applicants. With these statistics and the current job market in mind, I also applied for newly-qualified (“NQ”) litigation positions in City law firms, making it clear that I was also applying for pupillage and, if offered a position, I could only work for a year before starting pupillage. 

Elizabeth Cleaver hopes that the recently adopted European guidelines on child-friendly justice will result in substantial changes in the UK’s treatment of children within the courts 

On 17 November 2010, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted new Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice “to serve as a practical tool for member states in adapting their judicial and non-judicial systems to the specific rights, interests and needs of children.” 

Andrew Otchie on the highlights of the American Bar Association annual meeting.  

The American Bar Association (“ABA”) annual meeting is a big event. The 2010 conference in San Francisco California between 5 and 10 August was no exception. The various sections, divisions and forums of the ABA offer such a broad range of seminars to discuss the contemporary and controversial legal issues in America – with the focus this year on same-sex marriage, anticipatory self-defence in international law, marijuana regulation, and Facebook – that choosing which seminars to attend and navigating through the 288 page programme to the appropriate venue is quite a task in itself. 

Chris McWatters believes that the FLBA Chairman will need all his diplomatic wizardry to deal with the fizzing brew of change facing the Family Bar 

Chris McWatters believes that the FLBA Chairman will need all his diplomatic wizardry to deal with the fizzing brew of change facing the Family Bar 

St Albans Syndrome, Woolwich Worm and other ailments. Christopher Kinch QC reports on the latest outbreaks.  

You might think that things were hard enough at the criminal Bar these days without the judiciary starting to show signs of reverting to the bad old days of cantankerous and difficult judges. It is within living memory that when counsel failed to curtail his submission before the then resident judge at Southwark he was allowed a period of reflection in the court cells. Isn’t it all supposed to be different now with a modern judiciary all schooled and refreshed by the JSB at those arduous seminars at Warwick? There are signs that some judges may be falling into bad habits, or perhaps there is something in the judicial water flasks that is proving a source of infection. Whatever the cause, it seems about time for some health advice to any member of the Bar finding themselves confronted by signs of judicial malady. 

Snigdha Nag reviews Made In Dagenham  

Stephanie Hawthorne picks out her favourite features from her tenure as Editor 

David Wurtzel looks through old issues. The rhetoric is the same, he concludes 

Lord Justice Toulson discusses the forthcoming selection for seven criminal law Senior Circuit Judge appointments.  

There will soon be a rare opportunity to apply for a significant number of criminal law Senior Circuit Judge roles across the country, including the Old Bailey where for the first time there is to be a vacancy for a judge to work for a reduced number of days.