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Lawyers need to ‘re-double’ their efforts to encourage professional standards and conduct in the digital age that values economic success, the Chairman of the Bar told the International Bar Association.
Speaking at its annual conference in Washington in September, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC said: ‘An increasing focus in society on economic success and on taking a commercial approach, I believe, threatens professionalism.’ She insisted: ‘The Bar is a profession. It is not simply a job.’
But she said the 21st century brings many challenges to that sense of professionalism, including political pressures, societal changes, regulators, financial pressures, press coverage, perception and technology.
Doerries said: ‘The more we act, or are encouraged by society to act, as purely businesses or are treated simply as part of a market of legal services…the more we attenuate the idea of being a professional lawyer, and ultimately undermine the special and fundamental role.’
Lawyers she said, need to ‘re-double’ their efforts to encourage professional standards and conduct in an age where technology is changing working practices.
Public legal education, she added, was the way to teach society the real value of professional lawyers.
Positively, she said young barristers understand this; they come to the Bar to be professionals and for the challenge of demonstrating what it means to be a professional worthy of the name.
Lawyers need to ‘re-double’ their efforts to encourage professional standards and conduct in the digital age that values economic success, the Chairman of the Bar told the International Bar Association.
Speaking at its annual conference in Washington in September, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC said: ‘An increasing focus in society on economic success and on taking a commercial approach, I believe, threatens professionalism.’ She insisted: ‘The Bar is a profession. It is not simply a job.’
But she said the 21st century brings many challenges to that sense of professionalism, including political pressures, societal changes, regulators, financial pressures, press coverage, perception and technology.
Doerries said: ‘The more we act, or are encouraged by society to act, as purely businesses or are treated simply as part of a market of legal services…the more we attenuate the idea of being a professional lawyer, and ultimately undermine the special and fundamental role.’
Lawyers she said, need to ‘re-double’ their efforts to encourage professional standards and conduct in an age where technology is changing working practices.
Public legal education, she added, was the way to teach society the real value of professional lawyers.
Positively, she said young barristers understand this; they come to the Bar to be professionals and for the challenge of demonstrating what it means to be a professional worthy of the name.
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
