Chair's Column

Nick Green QC explains why the Bar Council is preparing to commence judicial review proceedings against the government 

Throughout January and early February I visited a number of cities in England and Wales (Cardiff, Winchester, Leeds, York, Birmingham and Manchester) and spoke to nearly 1,000 members of the Bar at the road shows. I have also visited over 30 sets of chambers and had conversations with numerous clerks and practice managers. The process is ongoing and I am planning further visits to chambers over the next few months. I am very grateful for the warm welcome that I have received. The exercise has been extraordinarily informative in enabling me to obtain a more precise and educated view of the day-to-day problems of the Bar. 

The Bar should not fear the development of enforceable standards of advocacy in all areas of practice, writes Nick Green QC 

 I have barely got my feet under the Chairman’s desk on the 7th floor of the Bar Council offices on Holborn when it is time to write my second Chairman’s Column.   

In his inaugural column Nick Green QC considers how the Bar should adapt and evolve 

As I look ahead into 2010 two main themes are likely to characterise the work of the Bar Council. These are the need to reintroduce stability in the publicly funded Bar and the need to address modernisation of the Bar. 

Desmond Browne QC sums up the current position and highlights the issues to be addressed in the near future 

The time is now come for my final Chairman’ s Column . In Chancery Lane people stop to ask me whether there is light at the end of the tunnel. I can only reply that with so little light, there still seems an awful lot of tunnel. 

As the new Legal Year begins, Desmond Browne QC stresses the importance of access to justice for all 

The publicly funded Bar is facing an “annus horribilis”, with yet more proposed cuts – this time to criminal defence fees, writes Desmond Browne QC 

Desmond Browne QC reports on events affecting the Bar and notes the passing of the House of Lords’ Judicial Committee 

Desmond Browne QC pays tribute to the people involved in drafting the Bar’s consultation paper responses 

Competition with solicitor-advocates is causing deep concern, writes Desmond Browne QC 

In recent weeks I have visited chambers in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle. Everywhere I was met by deep concern about the wholly unfair terms on which solicitor-advocates now compete for Crown Court work. The grave consequences are now being felt in many ways, not least the reduction in the number of pupillages starting this autumn. 

Desmond Browne QC reports on a successful Commonwealth Law Conference