Features

The recent reforms in the area of fraud and financial crime amount to little more than re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, writes Jonathan Fisher QC. More radical reform to the statutory framework is required 

29 May 2009: old questions, new answers and a face-to-face meeting 

Khadija Ali and Lynne Townley explain the background to the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 and consider what all sectors are doing to tackle the problem.  

Since the murder of Heshu Yones in 2002, the issue of forced marriage and other forms of honour based violence have been the source of media attention and more significantly that of the Government which brought the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 into effect on 25 November 2008. 

Jodie Blackstock explores the issues raised by the European Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia and argues that tangible curtailments to freedom of speech could follow 

HD Lodge looks at practical ways for counsel to organise and work online, and how to avoid professional difficulties.  

There is a man called Patrick on Facebook™*. He purports to be a barrister and offers legal “advice” for £6 (six pounds sterling) a time. None of us would compete with him on price; but each of us must adapt to the technology he uses. 

Alexander Learmonth and Adam Baradon consider what the proposed new structures for chambers will mean for future recruitment to the Bar.  

The Legal Services Act 2007 opened the door to barristers practising in partnership with one another (BOP) or with other legal professionals in a Legal Disciplinary Partnership (LDP). The Bar Standards Board consultation on this ended  on 1 March 2009. It focused on the competition law aspects. The Law Society has already started accepting applications from solicitors’ firms who wish to include non-lawyer managers or to become “recognised bodies” and 14 LDPs officially came into being on 31 March 2009. 

James Cartwright looks forward to the Lawyers’ Cricket World Cup 

Name: Gavin Millar QC
Position: Joint Deputy Head of Chambers; Media Law and Employment silk
Chambers: Doughty Street Chambers 

Desmond Browne QC follows John Mortimer’s career through the Law Reports 

The family justice system will fast unravel if funding cuts force publicly funded barristers to take flight, writes Lucy Theis QC