Tackling ‘isms’ from the inside and making global headlines – a remarkable young barrister shares her experience of defying the odds, breaking into an elite profession and challenging attitudes to race and class in the justice system
By Alexandra Wilson
An exit interview with Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar for 2020. Roundly praised by Bar rank and file for her leadership during an incredible year, she takes an unusual breather to talk to Desiree Artesi about the milestone moments of her tenure
By Alexander Sverdlov
It may be a very different Christmas this year, but the perennial questions remain – ‘What should I drink on Christmas Day?’ and ‘What’s the perfect gift for an oenophile?’
By Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones QC
With pandemic-related fraud on the rise, Christopher Convey explains how barristers should maintain vigilance against anyone seeking to launder criminal funds or channel monies towards terrorist activity
For faster, smarter courts, the distinction between old and new is no longer between paper and PDF, or even between PDF and cloud-based document management systems. The distinction now lies in our approach to the latter, argues Paul Sachs
No jurisdiction can afford to be complacent, write Mark Guthrie and Sailesh Mehta – a global review of judicial appointments systems and politicians’ attitudes to judges, and a campaigning role for the Bar
What lawyers do – a corrective and a manifesto. By Dexter Dias QC
UK
Details of the qualification requirements can be found in the information pack. It is expected that the successful applicant will take up their post in the spring of 2027.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Developing a tech start-up demands a different definition of excellence to the Bar, says Saara Idelbi. The co-creator of Advocatr on entrepreneurship, AI advocacy training, and matching the thrill of a killer cross-examination
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC