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Jess Campbell reports on the joined-up efforts of the pro bono community to meet the mammoth post-LASPO upsurge in litigants in person  

I am delighted to report that 52% of the Bar donated £30 to the Bar Pro Bono Unit (the Unit) through the authorisation to practise process, which concluded in April. 

As the Bar Pro Bono Unit marks its 20th anniversary, Jess Campbell explores the journey of a recent case – an apt reminder of what the Unit was set up to do  

We are now a quarter of the way into 2016, the Bar Pro Bono Unit’s 20th year, and readers will just have finished renewing their practising certificates.  

The past six months has seen a considerable amount of activity to the point where only a few issues of substance still remain unresolved, writes HH John Platt. 

The latest developments on money claims  

There is much good news to report. 

Mark Hoyle, who is now a partner at King & Wood Mallesons SJB in Dubai, organised a dinner for Barristers in the Gulf, on 28 May 2014.   

There was an excellent selection of people, mostly from Dubai but also a one day tripper from Qatar. 

Christmas Legal Fiction roundup for Counsel Magazine by Paul Magrath.  

Books discussed: 

Ian McEwan, The Children Act (Cape, £16.99) 

Peter Murphy, A Matter for the Jury (No Exit Press, £8.99) 

Kathy Lette, Courting Trouble (Bantam, £14.99) 

Nick Stone, The Verdict (Sphere, £16.99) 

Calling all part time fee paid judges, you have nothing to lose but money lawfully due to you.  

In January 2013 the Supreme Court decided that the MoJ had broken the terms of the EU Part time Working Directive of 1997 by denying pension rights to part time fee paid judges where there is a full time salaried comparator. 

NB The information contained in this article is believed to be correct as at 3rd October 2014 but the situation may change in the light of future events over which the author has no control.    

A reflection on the way life for a barrister on the circuits used to be. 

Listening to (Lord) Jeremy Hutchinson on Desert Island Discs led me to recall life at independent criminal bar at its best. Anyone charged with a serious offence could walk into a High Street firm and any High Street firm could call on the services of Jeremy. The public money involved was well spent and never really questioned. Good quality advocates got to the real points in a case and addressed them directly. Time was saved. Justice is always done when high quality barristers oppose each other.