Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Sisterhood is vital in a profession as demanding, and often as solitary, as the Bar, says Ruth Reid. So if you are not currently supporting a junior colleague or aspiring lawyer, please consider becoming a mentor today...
Networks such as Women in Family Law are as instrumental to wellbeing as career advancement. Without comparable men’s groups, where do male barristers turn for support? Hannah Markham KC and George Harley on finding community
This year’s IWD theme resonates deeply at the Bar. Pupillage recruitment, for example, is undoubtedly a burden yet members of chambers continue to volunteer their time. Altruistic or strategic? Elizabeth Hodgson investigates
Kindness Ambassadors – coming to a courtroom near you! Valerie Charbit, Nicola Shannon KC and Professor Robin Banerjee update readers on the second phase of the project examining, and promoting, the impact of kindness and how it can fit into an adversarial system
In the wake of the Harman Review, many chambers are asking what practical steps they should take now. Joanna Chatterton and David Murphy suggest how the recommendations can be weaved into the daily life of a modern set – in a credible, proportionate and effective way
The Harman Report found judicial bullying to be a real and significant problem. As the judiciary starts the journey of recognising and addressing misconduct on the bench, Saara Idelbi suggests some ways to respond in the moment – with the aim of preserving mutual respect in the courtroom
With at least 31 reports of AI hallucinations in UK legal cases – over 800 worldwide – and judges using AI to assist in judicial decision-making, the risks and benefits are impossible to ignore. Matthew Lee examines how different jurisdictions are responding
What has changed, and why? Paul Secher unpacks the new standards aligning the recruiting, training and appraising of judges – the first major change to the system for ten years
Amelia Clegg shares the lessons standing her in good stead as 2026 Chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee and the priorities for her term
Isle of Man
Applications are invited for the appointment of His Majesty’s Attorney General in the Isle of Man.
Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
Responding to criticism on the narrow profile of government-instructed counsel, Mel Nebhrajani CB describes the system-wide change at GLD to drive fairer distribution of work and broader development of talent
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines
There is no typical day in the life as a Supreme Court judicial assistant, says Josephine Gillingwater, and that’s what makes the role so enjoyably diverse