Susan Grocott KC reports on the realities of interpreting and translation services in the courts, drawing on Bar Council Legal Services Committee evidence to the recent House of Lords Public Services Committee inquiry
HHJ Emma Nott looks again at work allocation and receipts at the publicly funded Bar to see if any of the measures put in place since she started reporting seven years ago, are working
Maya Sikand KC and Janey Starling, co-authors of a new toolkit, Representing pregnant women and mothers in the criminal justice system, believe that advocates can play a critical role in ensuring that sentencers get it right
With thousands of D81 forms filed every week, why aren’t we analysing this data to determine the best model of reform? ask Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Holly Symonds
From a ‘difficult woman with attitude’ to a ‘rainmaker’ – Paramjit Ahluwalia talks about her experience of intersectionality at the Bar, examines the data on disparity of earnings and presents the potential for change
Labour’s pledge to halve VAWG is a welcome step, but risks becoming an empty promise without systemic reform, says Dr Charlotte Proudman
Britain must not forget its legal responsibilities to Hong Kong, writes former Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Paul Harris
Heidi Stonecliffe KC, 2024 Chair of the Employed Barristers’ Committee, reflects on her year at the helm and progress made in implementing the Life at the Employed Bar Report 2023 recommendations
There is widespread acknowledgement that the criminal justice system, and in particular the trial and appellate processes, are failing women. Emma Torr reports on a system in crisis and hope on the horizon
Matthew Banks introduces the Deaf Legal Network, a new forum bringing together lawyers and the deaf community to overcome the barriers experienced by deaf people in accessing the justice system
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Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
Responding to criticism on the narrow profile of government-instructed counsel, Mel Nebhrajani CB describes the system-wide change at GLD to drive fairer distribution of work and broader development of talent
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines