*/
Legal leaders from the UK and overseas came together for the annual service at Westminster Abbey to mark the Opening of the Legal Year last month.
At the occasion, which has been a fixture in the legal calendar since the Middle Ages, judges have traditionally prayed for guidance at the start of the new legal term.
The service followed a series of events organised over two days by the Bar Council and the Law Society, attended by more than 60 international bar representatives from over 40 jurisdictions. The sessions focused on legal professional privilege, the role of witnesses and the rule of law.
Chairman of the Bar Alistair MacDonald QC said: “The Opening of the Legal Year is the most celebrated event in the legal profession’s calendar. The programme of events and the number and range of international participants demonstrates the global orientation of our profession.
“It also enables us to discuss the future of our profession and the challenges and opportunities we face, to reflect on the values we share with fellow legal practitioners overseas, and to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law.”
Legal leaders from the UK and overseas came together for the annual service at Westminster Abbey to mark the Opening of the Legal Year last month.
At the occasion, which has been a fixture in the legal calendar since the Middle Ages, judges have traditionally prayed for guidance at the start of the new legal term.
The service followed a series of events organised over two days by the Bar Council and the Law Society, attended by more than 60 international bar representatives from over 40 jurisdictions. The sessions focused on legal professional privilege, the role of witnesses and the rule of law.
Chairman of the Bar Alistair MacDonald QC said: “The Opening of the Legal Year is the most celebrated event in the legal profession’s calendar. The programme of events and the number and range of international participants demonstrates the global orientation of our profession.
“It also enables us to discuss the future of our profession and the challenges and opportunities we face, to reflect on the values we share with fellow legal practitioners overseas, and to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law.”
The Bar Council is ready to support a turn to the efficiencies that will make a difference
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
An interview with Rob Wagg, CEO of New Park Court Chambers
What meaningful steps can you take in 2026 to advance your legal career? asks Thomas Cowan of St Pauls Chambers
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, explains why drugs may appear in test results, despite the donor denying use of them
The appointments of 96 new King’s Counsel (also known as silk) are announced today
Ready for the new way to do tax returns? David Southern KC continues his series explaining the impact on barristers. In part 2, a worked example shows the specific practicalities of adapting to the new system
Resolution of the criminal justice crisis does not lie in reheating old ideas that have been roundly rejected before, say Ed Vickers KC, Faras Baloch and Katie Bacon
With pupillage application season under way, Laura Wright reflects on her route to ‘tech barrister’ and offers advice for those aiming at a career at the Bar
Jury-less trial proposals threaten fairness, legitimacy and democracy without ending the backlog, writes Professor Cheryl Thomas KC (Hon), the UK’s leading expert on juries, judges and courts