New Year brings mixed blessings
‘Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.’ – Sophocles
Leaving is so very hard to do
“What you are to do without me I cannot imagine…” – George Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”
Always expect the unexpected
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door”– Milton Berle
It can be a tragically small world
“Speed has never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary – that’s what gets you…”– Jeremy Clarkson
Life is often tough at the top
“When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”– Ronald Reagan
Not everything creepy happens at night...
“Never make predictions, especially about the future” – Casey Stengel
The power of speech is proved again
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” – L. P. Hartley: The Go-Between
A night to remember?
“Change and decay in all around I see” – Henry F. Lyte
Health dominates the General Election
“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half.” – Gore Vidal
Cuts to the budget are having strange effects.
When I started as a young pupil I had a kind pupil master who, on days when he was out, used to send me to court with other members of Chambers.
London
The ICCA seeks to appoint an outstanding individual to the important role of Director of Education whose primary focus will be education, leadership, strategy, and regulation.
The Bar Council is ready to support a turn to the efficiencies that will make a difference
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
An interview with Rob Wagg, CEO of New Park Court Chambers
What meaningful steps can you take in 2026 to advance your legal career? asks Thomas Cowan of St Pauls Chambers
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, explains why drugs may appear in test results, despite the donor denying use of them
The appointments of 96 new King’s Counsel (also known as silk) are announced today
Ready for the new way to do tax returns? David Southern KC continues his series explaining the impact on barristers. In part 2, a worked example shows the specific practicalities of adapting to the new system
Resolution of the criminal justice crisis does not lie in reheating old ideas that have been roundly rejected before, say Ed Vickers KC, Faras Baloch and Katie Bacon
With pupillage application season under way, Laura Wright reflects on her route to ‘tech barrister’ and offers advice for those aiming at a career at the Bar
Jury-less trial proposals threaten fairness, legitimacy and democracy without ending the backlog, writes Professor Cheryl Thomas KC (Hon), the UK’s leading expert on juries, judges and courts