Features

When will women barristers be allowed to compete on a level playing field with their male counterparts, without stereotypes intruding? As the Association of Women Barristers marks its 25th anniversary in June, co-chair Lisa Wilson reflects on progress and future direction  

‘Would you rather be a bitch or a bimbo?’ asked my criminal litigation tutor in Bar School, less than a decade ago. ‘As a woman entering the criminal Bar, those are your choices,’ he advised. 

Marking the Bard’s anniversary year, Quentin Skinner examines Shakespeare’s links with the law and use of dramatic techniques through the lens of the classical theory of forensic eloquence  

Shakespeare had many dealings with lawyers and the law, most of them arising from his role as a successful man of business.  

Surprise victories are perhaps not so surprising  

‘People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those which have come into the mind of others.’– Blaise Pascal, Pensées 

Mark Hatcher distils for the Bar another busy month in Westminster – Super Thursday and a One-Nation-themed Queen’s Speech.  

The UK’s ‘Super Thursday’ results on 6 May provided the first significant verdicts on the UK political situation since last year’s General Election. The outcome was a disaster for Labour. 

John Jones devoted his life to helping those in peril in the courts.   

What’s restorative justice got to do with barristers? Mary Cowe explores its relevance to the Bar, benefits for offender and victim and impact on recidivism  

The Restorative Justice Council (RJC) is a national membership organisation that advocates the widespread use of all forms of restorative practice, including restorative justice (RJ).  

A Refreshers First XI would be a match for any decent club side, writes Philip Cayford QC. The only challenge is getting all your best players on to the same pitch on the same day...  

The Refreshers were founded in 1935, and hence celebrated their 80th birthday last year.  

As court fee increases and legal aid cuts continue to bite, Marian Riley-Poku assesses a High Court pro bono scheme set up to assist litigants-in-person facing corporate insolvency in the winding up court  

The cuts to legal aid and the corresponding rise in the number of litigants-in-person (LiPs) since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 came into force are well documented.  

David Anderson QC reflects on his role as the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation and outlines how the law is being used to tackle terrorist threats  

When I strayed from the rich and sheltered pastures of European law into the post of Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, the notion that I might ever have anything useful to say about responding to terrorism would have seemed ridiculous. 

Evanna Fruithof sets the context to the referendum debate with a retrospective and prospective analysis of the UK-EU relationship  

In January 1973, with the entry into force of the European Communities Act 1972, the UK became a member of the European Economic Community (EEC), which has evolved into the European Union (EU).