Profession

A criminal barrister in his early 50s recounts how his life was turned upside down by a stroke, and offers some advice.  

It is 4.30am. I have to leave for court in four hours’ time. I can’t sleep, but it isn’t the imminent case that keeps me awake. My left arm has pins and needles. The sensation isn’t going away. In fact, it’s spreading to my leg. I put up with this for a long time, expecting it to stop. Then I settle for hoping it will stop, until eventually my wife is dragged from sleep by my increasing restlessness. We debate the situation. I insist forcefully that I’m fine to go to court, but it turns out that I can’t walk. I can’t even stand unsupported. By now, my entire left side is alive with strangeness, yet oddly dead. We agree that the court had better wait. Soon afterwards I am in A&E. Our lives are changing irrevocably as the minutes pass. The Acute Stroke Ward beckons, and my family and I enter uncharted territory. 

A criminal barrister in his early 50s recounts how his life was turned upside down by a stroke, and offers some advice.  

It is 4.30am. I have to leave for court in four hours’ time. I can’t sleep, but it isn’t the imminent case that keeps me awake. My left arm has pins and needles. The sensation isn’t going away. In fact, it’s spreading to my leg. I put up with this for a long time, expecting it to stop. Then I settle for hoping it will stop, until eventually my wife is dragged from sleep by my increasing restlessness. We debate the situation. I insist forcefully that I’m fine to go to court, but it turns out that I can’t walk. I can’t even stand unsupported. By now, my entire left side is alive with strangeness, yet oddly dead. We agree that the court had better wait. Soon afterwards I am in A&E. Our lives are changing irrevocably as the minutes pass. The Acute Stroke Ward beckons, and my family and I enter uncharted territory. 

Khadija Ali and Lynne Townley explain the background to the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 and consider what all sectors are doing to tackle the problem.  

Since the murder of Heshu Yones in 2002, the issue of forced marriage and other forms of honour based violence have been the source of media attention and more significantly that of the Government which brought the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 into effect on 25 November 2008. 

HD Lodge looks at practical ways for counsel to organise and work online, and how to avoid professional difficulties.  

There is a man called Patrick on Facebook™*. He purports to be a barrister and offers legal “advice” for £6 (six pounds sterling) a time. None of us would compete with him on price; but each of us must adapt to the technology he uses. 

Alexander Learmonth and Adam Baradon consider what the proposed new structures for chambers will mean for future recruitment to the Bar.  

The Legal Services Act 2007 opened the door to barristers practising in partnership with one another (BOP) or with other legal professionals in a Legal Disciplinary Partnership (LDP). The Bar Standards Board consultation on this ended  on 1 March 2009. It focused on the competition law aspects. The Law Society has already started accepting applications from solicitors’ firms who wish to include non-lawyer managers or to become “recognised bodies” and 14 LDPs officially came into being on 31 March 2009. 

Don’t get left behind in the new age of online marketing, writes HD Lodge 

Ever wondered how Benchers get elected and what they do? Catherine Baksi goes behind the green baize door to find out 

The rules which underpin the Bar’s professional life are being overhauled. Your input is vital, writes Charles Hollander QC.  

Barristers can be very good at responding to consultation papers on matters such as the retention of wigs. Replying to one on the proposed new Conduct Rules for the Bar may sound less compelling, but this is a consultation which is of real importance to all of us as it concerns the rules which govern the work we do every day. For those who might begin to complain of “consultation overload”, may I reassure them by pointing out the excellent track record of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) in listening to the responses we get. The debate over deferral of call in 2007 and the recent paper on rules for acceptance of instructions are both examples of where we consulted, took note, and eventually modified our views on the best way forward. 

Messrs Barrs of the Bar 

Dear Editor
Whilst I’m sure the incidence of “nominative determinism” amongst members of the legal profession had more to do with the date of the article (“In the name of the law” Counsel April 2009 pp 16-18) than with hard scientific fact, I feel Christina Michalos’ list would be incomplete without mention of the three Messrs Barr of the Bar. 

Now assessed as “mission critical”, the issue of judicial diversity may have reached the highest levels, but what can be done? Alison Padfield investigates