Best books, top tracks, iconic inspirations, escape essentials? Barrister-turned-novelist Kate Smith shares her cultural life and times with Counsel
Another law and order crackdown
Running from the Bar (and back again), the dynamics between bench and counsel, and why family law is no poor relation. Sagacious yet self-effacing, the second-ever female Supreme Court judge agrees to a rare interview
Martha Cover interviews the celebrated civil rights lawyer Marcia Willis Stewart QC whose egalitarian spirit pervades all her cases
Lawyers hiding their light under a bushel? Yes, you heard it here first. Advocate persuaded a group of committed pro bono barristers to celebrate their #IDoProBono work during Volunteers’ Week
Take the ‘ten steps’ to safeguard our people and our profession, as IBA warns of hypocrisy after survey confirms high rate of harassment and bullying in law
The working parent challenge is an issue affecting both men and women at the Bar. Ditch the ‘having it all’ myth, define your own version of success and learn how to live with compromise
Meet yourself... in colour. Discovering your own unique blend of energies – and that of others – could help transform strained relationships into productive ones
Lack of compliance and oversight: the need for caution and eternal vigilance
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