News

Sexual offences
Measures that give police greater powers to protect children against the risk of sexual harm have been adopted by the Home Office, endorsing the recommendations of a review led by Hugh Davies OBE QC. 

The Bar Council and the Law Society were delighted to welcome more than 80 international Bar leaders and their guests who took part in the events and the ceremonies for the Opening of the Legal Year (OLY). 

The next Rule of Law lecture will take place on 8 January 2014 at Middle Temple Hall. 

The Bar Council’s International Committee is organising a business development mission to Brazil from 24 – 28 March 2014. 

Profession
“Far too many brilliant young people aren’t finding jobs,” observed Baroness Deech in her opening remarks at the Westminster Legal Policy Seminar, Legal Education Training Review – next steps for regulation, skills and competitiveness , on 8 October. How one dealt with an over-supply of lawyers while widening their access and diversity remained an open question, although the regulators all agreed that it was not their function to control the numbers in the legal profession. 

Courts
The Magistrates’ Association has voted against proposals to scrap the religious oath for witnesses and defendants. 

The Chair of the Bar Council, Maura McGowan QC, led the Bar Council mission to South Korea and China with the aims of strengthening relations between the English Bar and the Korean and Chinese legal professions, and increasing opportunities for barristers to work with lawyers of these jurisdictions, as well as providing individual business development opportunities for the delegates. 

New prosecution guidelines
The CPS has issued Guidelines on Prosecuting Cases of Child Sexual Abuse which set out the approach that prosecutors should take when dealing with these cases. They deal with early consultation between the police and the CPS, case management from the time of the first complaint through to the trial, the care of victims and witnesses (including keeping them informed, counselling and therapy), the inter-play of criminal and family proceedings and how to present cases at court. 

Family
In the October news (p 8) the case of Re J (A Child) was reported incorrectly. On 5 September the President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, gave judgment in open court on an application by Staffordshire County Council for an injunction prohibiting publication including on the internet which would identify a child who was subject to care proceedings after his father posted material on Facebook including a film of the execution by social services of the emergency protection order. 

Government
Former City solicitor Shailesh Vara MP is the new Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid, following the Ministry of Justice reshuffle in October. He takes over responsibility for legal aid from Lord McNally and much of the portfolio of his predecessor, Helen Grant MP, who has become Minister of State for Sport and Tourism in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.