With barristers and clerks increasingly exposed to the cryptocurrency sector, Anthony Eskander explains how to get smart on smart contracts, maximise market opportunities and prepare for key perils
As the Bar leaders’ evidence cuts to the core on what’s wrong with the criminal justice system, Mark Hatcher puts his hope in Gauke to deliver a larger share for justice
Best books, favourite films, top tracks and an essential: Counsel invites barristers to share their cultural influences. In this issue, we talk to Tahir Ashraf, recently named in the Muslim 100 Parliamentary Power List and who also runs 5 Chancery Lane Commercial Barristers Chambers
As armed drone strikes blur the boundaries of the battlefield, Jo Morris and Libby Anderson look at the ethical and legal issues raised and the law of armed conflict
Penelope Gibbs briefs readers on Transform Justice’s video hearings research and calls for a clearer evidence base before virtual justice is extended any further
The criminal Bar’s future occupies hearts and minds; is it too much to hope the MoJ wakes up and smells the coffee from its spanking-new reception, asks Mark Hatcher
The Windrush scandal has put the spotlight on the byzantine and troubled state of British immigration law, policy and practice, writes Dr Anna Lindley
Novello Theatre, London, 29 April 2018 Shakespeare Schools Foundation
Knife culture is so engrained in some communities that only more severe punishment will actually see it ‘stamped out’, argues Jesse Cook
How is Scotland reducing knife deaths so effectively? A case study by Emily Beever outlines its youth work/public health approach to the problem
Isle of Man
Applications are invited for the appointment of His Majesty’s Attorney General in the Isle of Man.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse