News

The CCBE and ERA are jointly organising this conference, to take place in Brussels on 11 & 12 December 2008. See draft programme:
http://www.ccbe.eu/ntc_admin/dev_extranet/files/Revised_pr20_1220446465.pdf 

The Bar Standards Board has issued a consultation paper and proposed amendments to the Code in respect of barrister involvement in SRA regulated bodies. 

The Council is expected, any time now, to adopt this proposal for a Framework decision (originally put forward in 2003) creating the EEW, by which Member States will be able quickly to secure the transmission of existing evidence (objects, documents, data) in criminal proceedings, from another Member State. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=238262 

The JHA Council has recently reached agreement on the proposed new EU rules on maintenance obligations. 

Non-practising barristers and those barristers who are registered under paragraph 206 of the Code to offer legal services to members of the public, are reminded that should they wish to offer immigration services they must register with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). 

There have recently been a number of reported cases where websites of various chambers have been “high jacked” by fraudsters in an attempt to deceive people into parting with their money.

THE Access to Justice in Afghanistan Project Team has won the 2008 Sydney Elland Goldsmith Bar Pro Bono Award. 

The “Bar Guide” is a publication which explains the abilities and accessibility of barristers to international (mainly US) clients, and promotes the different specialisms of the Bar. 

THE International Committee is delighted to welcome Judge Johann Kriegler, former judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, to deliver the second annual Bar Council International Rule of Law Lecture, following the successful inaugural lecture last year, given by Judge Phillipe Kirsch, President of the International Criminal Court . 

THE Family Law Bar Association submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice consultation entitled Reforming the Legal Aid Family Barrister Fee Scheme concerning legal fees in family law cases.