News

Legal aid
As the deadline for responses to Transforming Legal Aid fast approaches on 4 June, the two branches of the profession united in opposition to the Government’s legal aid proposals. In an unusual act of concert, the two representative bodies issued four shared principles of opposition (see box, right), warning of “perverse incentives” and “dangers of miscarriage of justice” if the plans go ahead. The agreement to work in unison emerged from a joint Bar Council and Law Society meeting on 29 April, at which representatives from across the professions were in attendance. 

Profession
The first registration phase for the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) has been extended, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has announced. The closing date for the Midland and Western Circuits, which are the first required to register for the scheme, has been put back from 10 January 2014 to 7 March 2014. 

Profession
The Bar Council has appointed a new Chief Executive, following a two-year vacancy and a review of the role’s requirements. Former senior civil servant Stephen Crowne takes up the post on 3 June, bringing experience in both public and private sector leadership. 

Profession
Self-employed barristers will be able to conduct litigation work and form associations with non-barristers from January 2014, under Bar Standards Board (BSB) plans to “liberalise” the profession. 

Following LSB approval of public access rule changes in March, the prohibition on accepting cases eligible for legal aid has been removed. 

Chairman of the Bar’s visit to Brussels, April 2013
The latest visit to Brussels by the sitting Chairman of the Bar, Maura McGowan QC, which took place in late April, was a demanding but very successful one. Highlights included Maura’s keynote address on behalf of the legal profession at the European Parliament’s (EP) Legal Affairs Committee hearing on the reform of the Court of Justice of the EU; meetings with key MEPs from that committee and the Civil Liberties committee, with the Council Criminal justice unit, with the Directorate General Internal Market in the Commission and with the UK Permanent Representation to the EU. We were encouraged by the widely-expressed welcome for meetings, and for the recognition of how valuable the work we do on law reform and professional regulatory issues at a EU level is. Many files below were discussed during the meetings. 

Some 359 barristers found themselves facing charges – which range from £20 for a junior barrister to as much as £200 each for a QC – for failing to renew their practising certificate in time for this year’s April 1 deadline. 

Around half of all barristers have been asked to take part in the 2013 Barristers’ Working Lives’ survey. Commissioned by the Bar Standards Board and the Bar Council, the second in a series of biennial studies of life as a barrister asks a wide variety of questions about barristers’ professional lives as well as their future career plans. 

The new Handbook, which will replace the current Code of Conduct, has been approved by the Bar Standards Board and submitted to the Legal Services Board for approval. This application to the LSB covers the regulation of individual barristers; further applications relating to the regulation of entities will be made later this year. 

Following feedback received from members of the Bar and having now reviewed our internal processes, the Bar Standards Board has agreed to now accept typed signatures on CPD record cards subject to the below criteria: