News

The International Committee is delighted to announce Mark Mulholland QC, Chairman of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland, as the keynote speaker at its Sixth Annual International Rule of Law Conference. This annual lecture aims to stimulate debate and inspire barristers to become involved in rule of law related work. Barristers, judges and law students are all welcome to attend. 

If you have any questions regarding the new Code of Conduct Equality and Diversity Rules (which came into force on 1 September 2012) please contact the Bar Council’s equality and diversity team on: EqualOpps@BarCouncil. org.uk / 0207 611 1320. 

On 27 and 28 September a delegation from the Federal Bar Council of Brazil (OAB), led by their President Ophir Cavalcante, visited London for a series of meetings designed to create closer relations between the Brazilian and English legal professions. 

Small IP Claims
A new small claims track was introduced at the Patents County Court on 1 October to deal with low-value and uncomplicated intellectual property claims.

The second Russian Law Week (RLW) 2012, of which the Bar Council is a co-organiser, will bring leading Russian and English practitioners together to discuss the latest developments in Russian Law. RLW 2012 will include discussions on: 

• Proposals for changes to the Russian Civil Code 
• The investment climate in Russia 
• Corporate governance and shareholder rights under Russian law 
• Tax Issues 
• Current trends in Russian court practice 
• WTO Investment Disputes, and 
• Arbitration in Russia 

Organised by the Slynn Foundation, this lecture will be given by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers KG PC on the topic: ‘The Supreme Court: Reflections on the First Three Years’. It will take place on at 18:00 on Monday 12 November 2012 at Clifford Chance, 10 Upper Bank Street, London E14 5JJ. 

The new contractual terms and associated Code of Conduct amendments will take effect on the 31 January 2013. Initially, it was intended for the change to be implemented on the 31 October 2012, but to enable chambers more time to make the necessary adjustments, the Bar Standards Board agreed to the Bar Council’s request of a further three months. 

The Bar of England and Wales is increasingly well represented at this conference, which now brings together more than 5,000 international practitioners. The Bar Council has been encouraging members for a number of years to take advantage of the significant opportunities to network at this conference, which is attended by over 500 English solicitors and law firms from important jurisdictions who require English law consultancy services which the Bar is well placed to provide. 

Judiciary
Queen’s Bench Division judges work extremely long hours, write lengthy judgments which enter the public arena, and are not always hearing cases which match the specialism they pursued at the Bar, Mr. Justice Tugendhat explained in his keynote address to the 5 Raymond Buildings Media and Entertainment Law Conference on 27 September. Nevertheless he encouraged practitioners to realise that ‘they may have a duty to the public to apply for appointment’. 

The BSB has now published its Annual Report for 2011-12, which includes statements from the Chair, Baroness Ruth Deech, and the Director, Dr Vanessa Davies.