News

Strasbourg might well benefit from developing the margin of appreciation to take greater account of practical differences which arise between Convention states [and] which takes much greater account of differences in the respective legal, social and political tradition of those states,” Lord Neuberger MR told a packed audience of barristers and other lawyers at the European Circuit’s inaugural Annual Lecture on 24 June. 

On 19 June, more than 200 barristers and clerks attended the Annual Remuneration Conference. The main focus was on alternative business structures. 

The Legal Services Board (“LSB”) is consulting on proposals for the levy on Approved Regulators to recoup the ongoing running costs for the LSB and Legal Ombudsman. Responses are due by 29 September 2010.

The Coalition Government has set out five departmental priorities for the MoJ, in its paper, The Structural Reform Plan. These are: reform of sentencing and penalties; rehabilitation revolution; courts and legal aid; reform of the prison estate; and civil liberties

Law Reform Matters 

The Law Reform Committee is seeking the views of the Bar on areas of law reform which it could usefully proactively consider and is asking members of the Bar to complete a short web survey (which should take no more than a couple of minutes) to let us know areas of law reforms which you would like the LRC to consider on behalf of the Bar. The survey can be found on the Bar Council website at
(http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/lrc/). 

Efforts to broaden the profile of the Bench appear to be working, with more women and black and ethnic minority (“BME”) lawyers applying for judicial office. 

The Master of the Rolls has accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Civil Costs, to finalise the Guideline Hourly Rates for 2010 at the existing interim rates.

Mrs Justice Gloster has been appointed Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court with effect from 9 July 2010. She takes responsibility for the Commercial Court list, including assigning the judges of the court to cases.

The Bar Standards Board has launched a survey for Bar Vocational Course (“BVC”) leavers, asking students to rate their course on a scale of one to five regarding such matters as clarity of course aims, quality of teaching, staff feedback and student participation. Responses will be analysed by the BVC sub-committee and the education and training committee and will help shape the new Bar Professional Training Course. The survey is available on the BSB website at http://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/bptc/

THE Bar Association for Commerce, Finance and Industry (BACFI) has today announced that Lord Hoffmann will succeed the late Lord Slynn as its President.