News

On 4 October the Bar Council and the Law Society assisted in the launch of the British Pakistan Law Association. This new bilateral lawyers association aims to bring together all British practitioners (barristers as well as solicitors) interested in the assisting with the development of the rule of law, and to enable them to build professional contacts with this important Asian Commonwealth jurisdiction.

Business

The Bar Council is opposing plans to introduce a second tier of contract law throughout Member States.

Supreme Court

Lord Phillips, President of the Supreme Court, is to retire at the end of this legal year.

Profession

The time is “ripe” for a contingency legal fund (CLAF) to be set up, Lord Justice Jackson has said. In a lecture to the Professional Negligence Bar Association, in October, Jackson LJ said a CLAF could be “viable”. “Recent research suggests this,” he said.

On 2 and 3 October the Bar Council and the Law Society hosted the leaders of many overseas Bar associations and international lawyers organisations for the Opening of the Legal Year ceremonies.

In recent months, the BSB has considered a couple of complaints about the accuracy of reporting of past cases on chambers’ websites. Although the complaints about this issue are very small, they reveal the significant impact inaccurate information on websites can have on the parties involved in a case.

One of the strengths of the Bar Council is the extent to which barristers, whether or not they are Council members, freely devote time and effort to their work. The Bar Council is anxious to ensure that it has a wide range of barristers involved in its work.

Profession

Barristers are broadly happy with the practising certificate fee as it exists, according to new research.

criminal

Criminal barristers face “tough times” ahead, the new chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said. Max Hill QC, of 18 Red Lion Court, said his mission would be to “to raise our chins from the floor”.

profession

A new annual registration scheme has been introduced for barristers.