News

The CIS and Russia in particular are one of the priority regions for the international business development efforts of the International Committee. The Committee has therefore been working for some time to develop opportunities for the Bar in Russia. On 13 and 14 July, a Bar Council delegation conducted a number of successful events in cooperation with the British Embassy in Moscow and UK Trade & Investment. In the evening of 13 July a high-level dinner was hosted by the Minister Counsellor in her residence for the delegation with the President of the Moscow City Bar, Dr Genry Reznik, being the guest of honour. This involved useful discussions about the regulation of the legal profession. The Chairman of the Bar has subsequently written to his Dr Reznik, offering further cooperation both on the level of professional ethics/discipline as well as substantive law initiatives with practitioners. 

On 14 July the Bar Council delegation gave a seminar for Russian commercial lawyers and in-house counsel in the seminar room of the modern British Embassy building. The first session focussed on civil fraud and professional liability, issues of great relevance to the local profession. The second session looked at dispute resolution options in the context of the current financial crisis and explained inter alia the advantages of London as a centre of dispute resolution. This was followed by a successful networking reception for the around 100 Russian lawyers that had attended the seminar. 

UK Trade & Investment is sponsoring the Bar Council element of this mission. Grants of £950 are available to chambers who meet the following criteria. 

Eligibility Criteria 

Chambers must be based within the M25 to be eligible to receive the financial package from UK Trade & Investment London. If you are outside the M25, we will approach your local international trade adviser for funding from your region on your behalf if funds are available. You need to: 

Barristers under ten years’ Call, pupils and Bar Vocational Course (“BVC”) students are invited to attend this year’s Young Bar Conference at the Hotel Russell (Russell Square, London) on Saturday, 3 October (see further Bar News p x). 

In July 2009 all practising members of the Bar should have received a reminder letter about their 2009 CPD requirements. If you have not received this letter or are unsure about your CPD obligations, please contact Rachel Reeves, Training Compliance Assistant on 020 7611 1444 or email rreeves@barstandardsboard.org.uk If you have any queries regarding courses and accreditation, please contact Liz Prats, CPD Officer on 020 7611 1444 or email lprats@barstandardsboard.org.uk If you have already completed your 2009 CPD hours, please return your record card to our offices before the deadline date of the 31 January 2010. 

Practitioners are reminded that the CPD year operates on a calendar year basis and any practitioner who completes CPD hours for the 2009 requirement in 2010 will have to apply for an extension of time through the Qualifications Committee. 

The Director of Public Prosecutions (“DPP”) has defended the CPS policy of bringing advocacy in-house, following Bar Council allegations of “Alice in Wonderland” figures. 

Lord Justice Gross has been appointed judge in charge of the Commercial Court, with effect from 1 October. Gross LJ was called to the Bar in 1977, appointed a High Court judge in the Queen’s Bench Division (2001), and was presiding judge for the South-Eastern Circuit (2005-2008). He succeeds Mr Justice Andrew Smith. 

The Legal Services Board (“LSB”) which is responsible for approved regulators such as the Bar Council is seeking to set a maximum financial penalty for failure to comply with a requirement. 

The International Committee (IC) of the Bar Council is seeking a practising barrister to lead the Committee’s work in relation to the jurisdictions of the Middle East. There is no minimum post-qualification experience, but it would be helpful for candidates to have substantial experience in dealing with legal systems in the Middle East, gained through private law practice or other relevant activities, which would put him or her in a position to command respect among high-level contacts of the Bar Council in the region. The terms of reference of the IC are two-fold: international business development for the Bar, and support for the rule of law (in particular support for legal professions in developing countries). The candidate will have the opportunity to develop new initiatives in accordance with the Committee’s Strategic Plan. The IC sees its role in the Middle East in particular in promoting international direct access to the Bar to local law firms and inhouse counsel. In addition we are offering assistance to the legal professions and their professional bodies (insofar they exist). The work in the Middle East will largely be developed through the International Business Development Working Group (IBDWG), which is a sub-committee of the IC which also includes representatives from the Specialist Bar Associations. This subcommittee oversees the work of three Interest Groups which bring together members of the Bar interested in particular regions. The successful candidate would chair the Middle East Interest Group and play an active part in the IBDWG. 

The Bar Council is encouraging all barrister with an interest in starting or developing their international practice to attend the IBA Annual Conference, which the biggest conference dedicated to bringing together lawyers with an international practice. The Bar Council is will have a stall promoting the Bar to the around 4000 international practitioners attending. In addition it host a networking reception for 300 guests at the Westin Hotel on Tuesday 6 October, which all barristers present in Madrid are invited to attend. For distribution both at the stall and at the reception the International Committee is publishing a brochure “Barristers in the International Legal Market”. All chambers have been sent a letter inviting them to advertise in this publication, which also be used at subsequent events. The deadline for adverts to be submitted 7 September. Please contact Rukaiya Bhegani for further details at Rbhegani@barcouncil.org.uk or on 020 7611 1357. 

Gregor McGill is the new Head of the Fraud Prosecution Service, the specialist fraud prosecution team within the CPS, as of 31 July. He replaces David Kirk, who is now chief criminal counsel for the Financial Services Authority.