Practice Toolset

From courtroom to cot and back, Adiba Bassam (Demir) shares a candid account of her maternity leave and return to practice – plus, an update on breastfeeding at the Bar

Wanting both a family and a career at the Bar should be attainable in 2025 without having to make impossible sacrifices, says Chloe Lee

Can a criminal barrister really work part-time? After maternity leave, Caighli Taylor made it happen – and discovered unexpected upsides along the way

From balance and boundaries to confidence and clerks’ rooms, Nikki Alderson shines a light on the challenges encountered by working parents well beyond the initial career break return – and strategies to overcome them

Whether you’re drafting policies or exploring this way of working yourself, James Whiting and Sian Wilkins share insights to guide your approach

‘By some miracle, you got it.’ Baldip Singh examines why success can provoke such discomfort and what to do about it

Looking to streamline your workflow with tools you already use? In the first part of her practical new series for Counsel , Elizabeth Bowden starts with MS Word time-savers that can make life as a barrister noticeably easier

Ashley Thompson gives new tenants a head start with this compilation of advice, tips and tools – from getting an accountant to all things court

Feeling emotionally drained? Try these five replenishing strategies, says Wendy Showell Nicholas, the BACP accredited psychotherapist supporting the North Eastern Circuit

Practical steps, strategic moves and professional networks to help you build a sustainable and impactful practice in this field. A guide by Michael Herz