News

Profession

The Bar Council has urged the Legal Services Board (LSB) to reconsider its “surprising and disappointing” decision on referral fees.

Profession

Maura McGowan QC has been elected as the new vice-chair of the Bar Council.

International

The Bar Standards Board has published draft Code of Conduct rules for barristers who do international work.

Children

The number of child witnesses appearing in criminal proceedings has increased “dramatically”, according to a new report by the Nuffield Foundation and NSPCC.

The Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance (HKAO) – a new, more user-friendly legal framework for arbitrations – has come into effect.

Professional life

Dame Barbara Mills QC, the first woman Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sadly died on 28 May, aged 70, following suffering a stroke.

Peter Lodder QC, chair of the Bar Council, spoke on terrorism, corruption and the rule of law in a speech to the inaugural St Petersburg International Legal Forum.
The forum, organised by the Russian Ministry of Justice and the St Petersburg International Legal Forum Foundation last month, looked at a number of global challenges.

Profession

Barristers have until the end of September to voice their opinion on the changes to CPD.

The Bar Council have announced that Michael Todd QC is to become Bar Council Chairman for 2012 .

At its most recent Board meeting, the regulator of the Bar in England and Wales took the decision to regulate advocacy-focused Alternative Business Structures, Legal Disciplinary Practices and Barrister Only Entities, collectively referred to as ‘entities’. It will not extend its remit to regulate Multi-Disciplinary Practices.