News

The Bar Standards Board reported in the September edition of BSB News that following the review of the BVC, a Working Group would be set up to undertake a major review of pupillage. 

THE Bar Council today welcomed the launch of a major new documentary by BBC 2 entitled The Barristers. The documentary is the result of four years of collaboration between the Bar Council, the BBC and other participants in the legal system. The first episode of the four-part documentary will be broadcast this autumn. 

The China Law Council (a joint committee of the Bar Council and Law Society) is seeking barristers’ chambers willing to offer placements for 15 young Chinese Lawyer for nine weeks from February 16th to May 8th 2009 (excluding the Easter break). 

The Law Society and the Bar Council again hosted around 60 international bar leaders and their guests for the ceremonies in conjunction with the Opening of the Legal Year (OLY) on 1 October. On the preceding day a well-attended seminar was held at the Bar Council, with input from the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board, which examined the implementation of the Legal Services Act 2007 and looked at the latest developments in other jurisdictions. 

THE legal year has opened against a backdrop of turbulence in the capital markets and declining confidence among both businesses and
consumers. 

The Bar Standards Board is pleased to announce that Amanda Thompson has been appointed as the interim Head of Strategy and Communications. Amanda joined the BSB on the 13 October from the Food Standards Agency. 

THE Bar Standards Board today announced that its Chair and Vice Chair, Ruth Evans and George Leggatt QC, would be stepping down at the end of the year on completion of their term of office. Commenting on their contribution to the establishment of new regulatory arrangements for barristers, Bar Council Chairman Tim Dutton QC said: 

THE leaders of the Circuits have announced that they have submitted a Discussion Paper published by the Bar Council called Legal Aid and the Public Interest to the appropriate Regional Ministers and MPs. The Discussion Paper is designed as the start of a ‘conversation’ with stakeholders in the legal aid system, to run between now and the General Election, expected in spring 2010. 

Following the failure to reach the unanimous agreement required for adoption at the June JHA Council on the original 2003 proposal for a regulation, the Commission has expressed its willingness to consider a formal request by 8 or more Member States for a proposal using enhanced cooperation. The expectation is that this will happen.

It looks likely that all Member States, including the UK, will adopt this December 2005 proposal for a regulation, provided it is limited in scope to recognition and enforcement.