Mutiny, chaos and white-noise politics: is anyone in control? Mark Hatcher presents a parliamentary vignette on the eve of the crushing Brexit vote
As 2018 draws to a close, Mark Hatcher reflects on Brexit’s heavy toll, a tumultuous year at Westminster and a glimmer of hope for the criminal justice system
Post-Justice Week, Mark Hatcher is cautiously optimistic: frank exchanges at the MoJ accounts evidence session suggest that Westminster is finally getting the message
Panto season as politicians struggle with the biggest set of challenges since 1945; and will opportunity knock for justice in October’s Budget? Mark Hatcher is concerned
It’s stop-start at Westminster. The flame of legal aid continues to flicker but public attention is focusing Ministry minds. Mark Hatcher examines state of play
‘Houdini May’ may yet escape from her Brexit box, but Mark Hatcher hopes the PM will use the recess to reflect on the place of justice in the government’s agenda
As the Bar leaders’ evidence cuts to the core on what’s wrong with the criminal justice system, Mark Hatcher puts his hope in Gauke to deliver a larger share for justice
The criminal Bar’s future occupies hearts and minds; is it too much to hope the MoJ wakes up and smells the coffee from its spanking-new reception, asks Mark Hatcher
Parliamentary awareness of the justice crisis is building but it’s hardly registering with voters. We need to explain in vivid terms why it matters to us all, says Mark Hatcher
Mark Hatcher weighs the value of select committees’ ‘pester power’ in securing positive change – not least for the Bar. Why then so little scrutiny of their impact?
UK
Details of the qualification requirements can be found in the information pack. It is expected that the successful applicant will take up their post in the spring of 2027.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Developing a tech start-up demands a different definition of excellence to the Bar, says Saara Idelbi. The co-creator of Advocatr on entrepreneurship, AI advocacy training, and matching the thrill of a killer cross-examination
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC