Huge strides have been made since advocates started talking openly about judicial conduct. Why the momentum for change must continue – and with understanding on both sides – to ensure there are lasting effects. By Mary Aspinall-Miles
By Christopher Hodges. Hart, October 2019. ISBN 9781509916900. Reviewed by Sir Ernest Ryder
The flipside of independence can be isolation, particularly as barristers become more senior and spend less time physically in chambers. If you’ve ever felt alone at the Bar, a WhatsApp group could be the answer, writes Abimbola Johnson
Welcome to Women in Family Law, the new platform designed to unify all women who practise in family law, from High Court judges to paralegals – and yes, we do need another association. By Hannah Markham QC
Laurie Scher and Will East suggest some easy wins enabling every chambers to become more environmentally sustainable
The plumage and ceremony delights some and appals others, yet its professional significance is inescapable; Chris Henley QC (successful in round three) riffs on the award and how to get it
Why – alongside his court practice – a barrister decided to journey through the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to become a 2nd lieutenant in the British Army
From Northern Alberta to Oxford: the pioneering contribution of a Canadian barrister to legal scholarship, practice and public policy in England and Wales. Interview by Lynne Townley
The unconventional civil barrister, environmental activist and storyteller is shaking up what it means to be a lawyer in a time of environmental crisis. Interview by Aqsa Hussain
Celebrating the 114 new silks – plus forensic analysis of the 2019 cohort and what it says about equality of opportunity in the profession and health of the Bar –by David Wurtzel
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