Features

US President-Elect Trump may have four Supreme Court vacancies to fill in the next four years – James D Zirin examines the history of the court’s politicisation, some surprising picks and the impact on jurisprudence  

When President-elect Donald Trump met with President Obama at the White House in November for an initial get-together, Obama had a few words of advice. ‘Get a strong legal team around you,’ Obama said in substance.  

Sir Jeffrey Jowell QC asks whether the Lord Chancellor should have acted to stem the misleading and inflammatory media allegations which continue in the wake of the Miller case  

Visitors from abroad have always been mystified by our uncodified constitution.  

Is the Bar still a stand-out example of adherence to high ethical standards? Desiree Artesi discusses the practicalities of professional ethics with Andrew Walker QC  

It is a truth universally acknowledged (but never out loud) that an individual barrister, hemmed in by increased competition and, in some areas of law, decreased fees, must be in want of time to observe certain professional ethics. 

Dr Vanessa Davies explains how and why the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme for established barristers is changing in January  

A constant commitment to update knowledge and skills is a hallmark of being a professional. In the words of Alistair Hodge, advocacy trainer at Inner Temple: 

Max Hill QC offers some innovatory examples and pointers on how to diversify and thrive at the criminal Bar in today’s adverse conditions  

As I eye the 30th year of my practice at the Bar, it is inevitable to reflect on the enormous changes to the self-employed profession. And yet, there is so much that remains the same.  

Richard Hearnden sets out the case for greater use of cheaper, off-the-shelf systems in the Crown court without recourse to changes in the law  

The publication of Transforming Our Justice System , by the Ministry of Justice, the Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals in September 2016, marks another milestone on the road to the digitisation of court proceedings.  

Bar Chairman Andrew Langdon QC is a clear-sighted Western Circuiteer determined to defend the profession, nourish the junior Bar, cautious on court reform, but optimistic for the future, finds Nigel Pascoe QC  

He stands tall, our new Chairman.  

In this ‘post-truth’ age, Mark Hatcher looks back at the seismic events of 2016 and what will dominate Westminster politics in 2017 – is change in the air?   

2016 will be remembered for two seismic events which have rocked the political classes on both sides of the Atlantic: the decision of the UK to withdraw from the EU and the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States.  

Kevin Dent admires the determination & commitment of the US attorney 

Deciding how we Brexit is not within the government's gift, argues Dominic Grieve QC MP. No Parliament worth its name can abandon input into the biggest and most complex constitutional change in modern times. Discussion is vital