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Visit to Kyiv and St Petersburg
The International Committee, supported by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), steered a trade mission from the Bar to Kyiv and St Petersburg from 17 - 21 March. Over 30 members applied for the mission and 19 were selected. The group was well mixed, demonstrating the wide range of expertise at the Bar (nine commercial/chancery practitioners, five criminal and one family barristers, one IP practitioner and one mediator). The programme included seminars for local law firms, breakfast meetings with in-house counsel, networking receptions and UKTI market briefings. Seminars covered subjects such as: an introduction to the Bar; commercial situations and regulatory affairs where barristers work with foreign lawyers and clients; asset protection through the criminal, commercial and matrimonial courts; and paying for legal proceedings in England and Wales. A meeting was held with the St Petersburg Bar to discuss future cooperation. The first joint event will be a seminar on criminal defence matters in May following the International Legal Forum.
Save the date: English Law Week, Moscow, 18-20 November 2013
Following the success of the 2011 English Law Week in Moscow and the 2012 Russian Law Week in London, the Bar Council’s International Committee, in partnership with the Law Society of England and Wales, will be holding the second English Law Week in Moscow from 18-20 November 2013. The theme of the Conference will be ‘Managing Risk’. The event will bring together leading Russian and English practitioners and promote professional links and legal business between the two jurisdictions. This is an excellent opportunity for any barrister wishing to develop their practice in relation to Russia.
Further information about the event and speaking slots will be advertised on the Bar Council website and in the International Committee’s fortnightly updates.
International Bar Association (IBA) Conference, Boston, 6-11 October 2013
Registration for this year’s IBA conference in Boston is now open. Further information regarding the event and registration is available on the conference website: http://www.ibanet.org/Conferences/Boston2013. aspx. The deadline for early bird registration is 19 July 2013.
The Bar Council will have a presence at this event and if you are attending, please email CMuorah@barcouncil.org.uk.
Promoting the Bar to the Brazilian legal market
Following an exploratory visit to Brazil in October 2012 we continue to develop the Bar’s profile in Brazil and engage the profession with the opportunities in that market (please see the article in the March edition of Counsel). We organised an information seminar at the Bar Council on 4 March and, with the Law Society, launched Lex Anglo-Brasil, a new bilateral law association. The launch event was on 12 March. It was attended by over 100 members of both professions and was sponsored by three organisations including a set of chambers. Barristers interested in joining should contact info@lexanglobrasil.com. Given the interest, we are forming a South America Interest Group and continue to work towards a mission to Brazil in the first quarter of next year.
Gain an insight into the Chinese legal market; build valuable contacts
From 17 June to 19 July 2013, the Bar Council will welcome the second cohort of 10 - 12 young Chinese lawyers to the Bar Council China Training Scheme. The programme will focus on international commercial law with a particular emphasis on arbitration and litigation work and will be delivered through practical placements in chambers and a bespoke academic programme provided by BPP Law School. This will be supplemented with legal seminars given by barristers and by social networking events.
The Bar Council is seeking sets of chambers that are willing to host these Chinese lawyers for the five weeks they are in the UK.
Chambers must have a solid international commercial practice (in the broader sense, including for example, international white-collar crime, construction, trust work, etc.), and should be able to offer at least one main mentor and an alternate to guide the Chinese lawyer through their placement.
Interested chambers should contact Natalie Darby for an application form at NDarby@BarCouncil.org.uk ahead of the deadline of 10 May 2013.
We would also like to hear from barristers who are interested in offering a homestay to a Chinese lawyer while the delegation is in the UK.
Save the date: English Law Week, Moscow, 18-20 November 2013
Following the success of the 2011 English Law Week in Moscow and the 2012 Russian Law Week in London, the Bar Council’s International Committee, in partnership with the Law Society of England and Wales, will be holding the second English Law Week in Moscow from 18-20 November 2013. The theme of the Conference will be ‘Managing Risk’. The event will bring together leading Russian and English practitioners and promote professional links and legal business between the two jurisdictions. This is an excellent opportunity for any barrister wishing to develop their practice in relation to Russia.
Further information about the event and speaking slots will be advertised on the Bar Council website and in the International Committee’s fortnightly updates.
International Bar Association (IBA) Conference, Boston, 6-11 October 2013
Registration for this year’s IBA conference in Boston is now open. Further information regarding the event and registration is available on the conference website: http://www.ibanet.org/Conferences/Boston2013. aspx. The deadline for early bird registration is 19 July 2013.
The Bar Council will have a presence at this event and if you are attending, please email CMuorah@barcouncil.org.uk.
Promoting the Bar to the Brazilian legal market
Following an exploratory visit to Brazil in October 2012 we continue to develop the Bar’s profile in Brazil and engage the profession with the opportunities in that market (please see the article in the March edition of Counsel). We organised an information seminar at the Bar Council on 4 March and, with the Law Society, launched Lex Anglo-Brasil, a new bilateral law association. The launch event was on 12 March. It was attended by over 100 members of both professions and was sponsored by three organisations including a set of chambers. Barristers interested in joining should contact info@lexanglobrasil.com. Given the interest, we are forming a South America Interest Group and continue to work towards a mission to Brazil in the first quarter of next year.
Gain an insight into the Chinese legal market; build valuable contacts
From 17 June to 19 July 2013, the Bar Council will welcome the second cohort of 10 - 12 young Chinese lawyers to the Bar Council China Training Scheme. The programme will focus on international commercial law with a particular emphasis on arbitration and litigation work and will be delivered through practical placements in chambers and a bespoke academic programme provided by BPP Law School. This will be supplemented with legal seminars given by barristers and by social networking events.
The Bar Council is seeking sets of chambers that are willing to host these Chinese lawyers for the five weeks they are in the UK.
Chambers must have a solid international commercial practice (in the broader sense, including for example, international white-collar crime, construction, trust work, etc.), and should be able to offer at least one main mentor and an alternate to guide the Chinese lawyer through their placement.
Interested chambers should contact Natalie Darby for an application form at NDarby@BarCouncil.org.uk ahead of the deadline of 10 May 2013.
We would also like to hear from barristers who are interested in offering a homestay to a Chinese lawyer while the delegation is in the UK.
Visit to Kyiv and St Petersburg
The International Committee, supported by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), steered a trade mission from the Bar to Kyiv and St Petersburg from 17 - 21 March. Over 30 members applied for the mission and 19 were selected. The group was well mixed, demonstrating the wide range of expertise at the Bar (nine commercial/chancery practitioners, five criminal and one family barristers, one IP practitioner and one mediator). The programme included seminars for local law firms, breakfast meetings with in-house counsel, networking receptions and UKTI market briefings. Seminars covered subjects such as: an introduction to the Bar; commercial situations and regulatory affairs where barristers work with foreign lawyers and clients; asset protection through the criminal, commercial and matrimonial courts; and paying for legal proceedings in England and Wales. A meeting was held with the St Petersburg Bar to discuss future cooperation. The first joint event will be a seminar on criminal defence matters in May following the International Legal Forum.
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
Giovanni D’Avola explores the issue of over-citation of unreported cases and the ‘added value’ elements of a law report
Louise Crush explores the key points and opportunities for tax efficiency
Westgate Wealth Management Ltd is a Partner Practice of FTSE 100 company St. James’s Place – one of the top UK Wealth Management firms. We offer a holistic service of distinct quality, integrity, and excellence with the aim to build a professional and valuable relationship with our clients, helping to provide them with security now, prosperity in the future and the highest standard of service in all of our dealings.
Is now the time to review your financial position, having reached a career milestone? asks Louise Crush
If you were to host a dinner party with 10 guests, and you asked them to explain what financial planning is and how it differs to financial advice, you’d receive 10 different answers. The variety of answers highlights the ongoing need to clarify and promote the value of financial planning.
Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page
If your current practice environment is bringing you down, seek a new one. However daunting the change, it will be worth it, says Anon Barrister
Creating advocacy opportunities for juniors is now the expectation but not always easy to put into effect. Tom Mitcheson KC distils developing best practice from the Patents Court initiative already bearing fruit
Sam Townend KC explains the Bar Council’s efforts towards ensuring a bright future for the profession
The long-running fee-paid judicial pensions saga continues. The current cut-off date for giving notice of election to join FPJPS is 31 March 2024, and that date now gives rise to a serious problem, warns HH John Platt
