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“Unanswered questions” remain over whether alternative business structures (ABSs) should have been permitted, Alistair MacDonald QC, told a conference in the US.
The Bar chair raised concerns in a speech to the Australian Bar Association in Boston in July, weeks after the Bar Standards Board submitted its application to the Legal Services Board to become an ABS regulator.
MacDonald said there are a “raft of concerns and questions” about independence and conflicts of interest.
He asked whether in criminal legal aid it was “appropriate” to have entities whose primary purpose is maximising profit.
ABSs, he suggested, may be an example of the government’s “insatiable appetite to tinker with institutions without fully appreciating the effects of their actions”.
“Unanswered questions” remain over whether alternative business structures (ABSs) should have been permitted, Alistair MacDonald QC, told a conference in the US.
The Bar chair raised concerns in a speech to the Australian Bar Association in Boston in July, weeks after the Bar Standards Board submitted its application to the Legal Services Board to become an ABS regulator.
MacDonald said there are a “raft of concerns and questions” about independence and conflicts of interest.
He asked whether in criminal legal aid it was “appropriate” to have entities whose primary purpose is maximising profit.
ABSs, he suggested, may be an example of the government’s “insatiable appetite to tinker with institutions without fully appreciating the effects of their actions”.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
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
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
