Counsel Magazine

Through small but meaningful efforts, we can restore the sense of collegiality that has been so sorely eroded, says Baldip Singh 

In the first part of a series celebrating the 2025 Bar Pro Bono Award winners, Advocate introduces Iona Gallagher, Edward Fitzgerald KC, Adam Wagner KC and Da’aro Youth Project 

Timothy James Dutton CBE KC was known across the profession as an outstanding advocate, a dedicated public servant and a man of the utmost integrity. He was also a loyal and loving friend to many of us 

Professional Discipline Silk of the Year, former Vice Chair of the Bar Standards Board and barrister member of the ethics taskforce scrutinising the role of law firms in enabling kleptocracy talks to Anthony Inglese CB 

Nicholas Khan KC, the only lawyer to have taken silk while working in a European Union institution, discusses his fascinating professional life beyond the Inns of Court – in the Legal Service of the European Commission 

Tap into every source of support, urge Lachlan Stewart and Amelia Clegg, Chair and Vice Chair of the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee 

In the second of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel series examining each of the competencies, Monisha Shah addresses Competency C: ‘Working with Others’ and the breadth of ways in which to evidence excellence

Fiona Butler offers some tips and advice on how to make the move in-house and what to expect – for both aspiring barristers and established practitioners contemplating a new chapter

Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove

Looking to develop a specialist practice? Mariya Peykova discusses the benefits of secondments and her placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office

Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...

One year on, Nardeen Némat reflects on the violent disorder in Merseyside following the Southport knife attacks and the collaboration between police, courts and Crown Prosecution Service in bringing a swift end to the riots

Five years on from Brexit, cross-border work is burgeoning and the European Circuit continues its important role in the web of accountability, says Leader Abigail Holt

Tetyana Nesterchuk, reporting from the inaugural Ukraine Law Day, welcomes the start of a 100-year tradition and looks at the future of legal cooperation between the UK and Ukraine

The public is being serially misinformed and there is no constitutional guardrail to prevent it. Sam Fowles explores the ‘dishonesty epidemic’ in British politics and its constitutional implications 

For restorative retro viewing, Rehna Azim recommends a boxset of Ally McBeal  – a series ahead of its time in many ways

The Bar Council’s eight recommendations for reading or listening to this summer on the topics of wellbeing and career success

Review by Daniel Barnett

Review by Stephen Cragg KC

Summer nightmares. By William Byfield

Fiona Butler offers some tips and advice on how to make the move in-house and what to expect – for both aspiring barristers and established practitioners contemplating a new chapter

One year on, Nardeen Némat reflects on the violent disorder in Merseyside following the Southport knife attacks and the collaboration between police, courts and Crown Prosecution Service in bringing a swift end to the riots

Mike Jones KC, the first Senior Crown advocate from Wales to take silk, talks about his career pathway, the ‘one Bar’ philosophy and what the future holds

Trying new approaches to tackle unfairness in opportunities, James Peters and Sinead Murray discuss recent Ofgem initiatives

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 

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 

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 

How will the EU AI Act, in full force from August 2026, affect barristers in the UK? If advising EU-linked clients or handling cross-border disputes you must grasp its risk-based approach, says Bamdad Shams

Camilo Artiga-Purcell highlights the dangerous use of unapproved AI tools

With AI transforming document-heavy tasks and the billable hour under threat, lawyers are re-examining their value-add and productivity habits. Alex Harding explores the future of working practice 

Interrogating your AI tool is key, warn law librarians Sally McLaren and Lily Rowe

Julie Ahadi responds to thought-provoking feedback on the use of AI in pupillage and explains why we should all be role-playing how the Bar might be affected 

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