professionThe Bar Standards Board (BSB) will have a majority of lay members for the first time next year.
Pupils will not be eligible to take up a tenancy or a position as an employed barrister until they have been issued with a full qualification certificate, which certifies completion of pupillage.
European Contract LawThe Commission is expected to adopt a landmark legislative proposal on or around 18 October. A flavour of what to expect can be gleaned from Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding’s call to arms on the subject, viewable at:http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/539&fo...The Academy of European Law in Trier is holding an event on consumer law just beforehand, at which it will be discussed. A member of the Bar will be speaking. See http://preview.tinyurl.com/4xl4qo4
professionThe Bar Council is calling on the Government to extend the ban on personal injury referral fees to cases in other areas of law.
Helping riot victimsA helpline for victims of the recent riots has been set up by LawWorks with the assistance of the Bar Pro Bono Unit, Law Society and several law firms. The initiative aims to help individuals, community groups and small businesses affected by the riots and looting to obtain free legal advice on matters ranging from insurance and compensation to contractual, property and employment law. More information is available at www.lawworks.org.uk/riothelp. The helpline number is 020 7092 3949.
criminalNew proposals have been announced regarding sentencing for multiple offences and mode of trial decisions.
CriminalIn two recent judgments, the Court of Appeal quashed convictions because of the judge’s behaviour during the case. Both matters took place at Kingston on Thames Crown Court and within four weeks of one another, in October and November 2010.
professionThe Bar Council has extended a cautious welcome to proposals to allow TV cameras in court.Currently, filming is banned in all courts in England and Wales apart from the Supreme Court - Sky News has broadcast a live video stream from the Supreme Court on its website since May.
professionThe Bar Council and the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), hosted a national meeting of the family Bar on 17 September to warn of the effects of the Government’s intended justice cuts.
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
Responding to criticism on the narrow profile of government-instructed counsel, Mel Nebhrajani CB describes the system-wide change at GLD to drive fairer distribution of work and broader development of talent
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