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The Bar Chairman slammed the ‘eye-watering’ cost of qualification as he called on the profession to do more to attract and retain the best junior barristers.
In his inaugural address, Andrew Langdon QC said the fees charged for the current course were ‘indefensible’ and expressed support for the two-part exam proposed by the Council of the Inns of Court.
‘I want us to focus in 2017 on opening the door wider to young, socially diverse talent and to enabling fair competition for junior barristers,’ he said.
More widely, Langdon warned of the risk of injustice without skilled advocates and noted a ‘shared frustration’ that policy makers undervalue the work of the Bar, which he said has resulted in ‘a lack of confidence in the future for the mainstream Bar’.
Proposals to extend civil fixed recoverable fees, he warned, risk the Bar ‘being squeezed out of the process’ and resulting in longer trials and more satellite litigation. He suggested a mechanism to allow recoverability of costs reasonably incurred instructing counsel.
In criminal legal aid cases, to ensure the best advocate for the job is instructed, he said the Legal Aid Agency should operate a ‘purchaser’s panel’, with advocates graded according to training, skill and experience.
He insisted it was ‘not Bar-protectionism’, but a way to restore confidence at the junior criminal Bar.
On moves towards online dispute resolution, Langdon suggested there needed to be a Plan B and said the Bar should be able to articulate its concerns without ‘fear of being castigated as Luddite or lacking vision’.
The Bar Chairman slammed the ‘eye-watering’ cost of qualification as he called on the profession to do more to attract and retain the best junior barristers.
In his inaugural address, Andrew Langdon QC said the fees charged for the current course were ‘indefensible’ and expressed support for the two-part exam proposed by the Council of the Inns of Court.
‘I want us to focus in 2017 on opening the door wider to young, socially diverse talent and to enabling fair competition for junior barristers,’ he said.
More widely, Langdon warned of the risk of injustice without skilled advocates and noted a ‘shared frustration’ that policy makers undervalue the work of the Bar, which he said has resulted in ‘a lack of confidence in the future for the mainstream Bar’.
Proposals to extend civil fixed recoverable fees, he warned, risk the Bar ‘being squeezed out of the process’ and resulting in longer trials and more satellite litigation. He suggested a mechanism to allow recoverability of costs reasonably incurred instructing counsel.
In criminal legal aid cases, to ensure the best advocate for the job is instructed, he said the Legal Aid Agency should operate a ‘purchaser’s panel’, with advocates graded according to training, skill and experience.
He insisted it was ‘not Bar-protectionism’, but a way to restore confidence at the junior criminal Bar.
On moves towards online dispute resolution, Langdon suggested there needed to be a Plan B and said the Bar should be able to articulate its concerns without ‘fear of being castigated as Luddite or lacking vision’.
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
