Issue 152 | 25 February 2021
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 During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bar Council has supported and guided the Bar, speaking up for the profession and the justice system in these unprecedented times.
Despite cutting our costs and using a small share of income from practising certificate fees (30%), the Bar Council has focused its efforts to ensure we have the most effective impact possible in supporting the Bar through the Covid-19 crisis, Brexit and other challenges.
With the Authorisation to Practise process due to open soon and our funding predicted to drop by 18% (£2.9m), we need you to help us back the Bar more than ever by subscribing to the Bar Representation Fee (BRF).
Please spread the message on Twitter, using the hashtag #BackTheBar.
Find out more about how we are backing the Bar and how we are funded.
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‘Do less and do it better’, Bar Council tells regulators’ regulator
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The Bar Council has criticised the Legal Services Board (LSB), the regulator that regulates legal regulators such as the Bar Standards Board, for misunderstanding its own role. In the Bar Council’s response to the LSB’s draft 10 year strategy, the Bar Council said: “It would be better if the LSB were to do less. It would then be able to do that better.”
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Nightingales must be matched with funding
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The Bar Council has said the newly announced extra Nightingale courts are steps in the right direction, but they need to be adequately staffed, testing needs to be widespread and justice needs greater financial support as a whole if we are to come out of this crisis with a system that can withstand knocks and deliver access to justice for the public.
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Rapid testing roll-out needed sooner
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Covid-19 updates and guides for the Bar
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The Bar Council is keeping the coronavirus situation under constant review and updating information and guidance for the Bar, on court attendance, finances and more.
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Talking Law Podcast showcases leaders at the Bar
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 Talking Law Podcast was launched in January 2019 by Sally Penni MBE, barrister at Kenworthy’s Chambers. Now on its 40th episode, Penni interviews leaders in the profession to showcase positive role models in the law. Leading Queen’s Counsel, other barristers and solicitors are interviewed on the podcast and share advice on how to improve diversity in the legal professions. Past guests have included Lady Hale of Richmond, Leslie Thomas QC, The Secret Barrister, Courtenay Griffiths QC, Joanna Hardy, Gina Millar, Baroness Helena Kennedy QC and many more.
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Justice Week 2021: What does Covid-19 mean for our rights to access justice?
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Hosted for its third year by the Bar Council, CILEx and the Law Society, Justice Week 2021 will take place from 1 to 5 March 2021, exclusively online with the aim of building public support and understanding for the rule of law and justice.
Back Justice Week; use the hashtag #JusticeWeek2021.
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Social mobility campaign hits the headlines
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 The Bar Council’s #BecomingTheBar campaign, a spin off series from the award-winning #IAmTheBar social mobility campaign, was the focus of attention in The Times newspaper last week. The Becoming The Bar campaign focuses on the journeys of pupils and new barristers from non-traditional backgrounds.
The Times featured four barristers from the Bar Council’s campaign retelling their stories.
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Cost Judge Decisions ‘hub’ to help with LAA fee applications
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The Bar Council has now published key Cost Judge Decisions in criminal legal aid cases.
The Bar Council’s Remuneration Committee has picked out decisions that other barristers can now reference to help in their application for fees for ineffective trials, fees for wasted preparation, Court of Appeal fees and other instances.
The list of Cost Judge Decisions is now published on the Bar Council’s website and will be regularly updated.
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Criminal legal aid: unused material
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Criminal defence barristers are now remunerated for reading the unused material in cases where legal aid was granted on or after 17 September 2020. However, only a minority of barristers have been claiming the fee for which they are entitled. The Bar Council’s Remuneration Committee has produced a guidance note for barristers and clerks.
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Warning over rise in out of court disposals
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After new figures showed a rise in community resolutions and a drop in prosecutions, Chair of the Bar, Derek Sweeting QC, told Daily Telegraph readers that: “The public needs to feel confident that criminals will be dealt with in a manner that reflects the seriousness of their offence. If cases are kept out of court because the system simply doesn’t have the resources it needs to deal with them, that will undermine trust and confidence.”
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LexisNexis study measures the impact of Covid-19 on legal demand
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Which practice areas are the most (and least) impacted, and what has this meant for the Bar? At the 2020 Annual Bar and Young Bar Conference, LexisNexis shared its latest findings. The new LexisNexis Gross Legal Product (GLP) Index is a study giving barristers and other legal professionals the chance to access a statistical benchmark measuring demand in the legal market and quantifying the impact of Covid-19. The GLP is designed to help build an understanding of the dynamics of market growth or decline in your areas of practice, and what strategies you can employ for success during the ongoing pandemic.
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The Bar Council is currently finalising its response to the Human Rights Act Review call for evidence. The Chair of the Bar, Derek Sweeting QC, recently met with Alex Chalk MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at MoJ) and Lord Hunt of Wirral. Our CEO joined Lord Grimstone (Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade) for a roundtable to discuss the recognition of professional qualifications now that we have left the EU. We are also working with the Home Affairs Select Committee on the issue of criminal co-operation and extradition post-Brexit.
On Friday, Chair of the Bar is chairing a breakfast meeting with Sir Bob Neill MP (Chair of the Justice Select Committee), members of the Select Committee and a small group of Specialist Bar Associations. The Budget is next week on 3 March, our recommendations to the Treasury can be read here.
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Guest blog: How to get the best from a remote mediation
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Most cases suitable for mediation can be mediated remotely. Antony Sendall of Littleton Chambers, and Jonathan Lux of Lux Mediation provide tips to help you and your clients get the most from remote mediation.
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Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Advisory Group
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English Law Day Ekaterinburg
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Barristers sought to speak at the virtual English Law Day on online hearings, recent trends in international commercial arbitration, latest topics in English commercial law and a case study session on commercial law.
To apply, please send a copy of your CV and the completed application form to the by 4 March 2021.
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International Women’s Day – Women who challenge: The Legal Sector
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Justice Week: Accessing justice for wrongful convictions
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This free online panel event, hosted by the Bar Council and Inside Justice as part of Justice Week 2021, focuses on accessing justice for wrongful convictions. During the session our speakers will take the audience through the work required in a real-life investigation to identify a killer, and have the murder conviction of an innocent man quashed.
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Justice Week Question Time
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Justice Week Question Time will be a live online event with a panel answering questions on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our democracy. Panel members include Lord Sumption, former Justice of the Supreme Court.
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Why your £35 means so much to Advocate
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“I donate to Advocate because barristers who do pro bono work through Advocate provide a vital public service to those who would not otherwise be able to enforce their legal rights.”
Derek Sweeting QC, Chair of the Bar
The #ProBono35 campaign encourages barristers to donate £35 or more to Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit) when you renew your practising certificate through the Bar Council's MyBar portal. Advocate understands that the pandemic has hit some sections of the Bar very hard, but we encourage those who can to donate because it makes up almost 50% of our funding. Without it, we simply would not exist.
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BBA – Gift Aid your donations
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If you already donate to the Barristers’ Benevolent Association please check with the BBA that your home address is held on file. Due to gift aid legislation the BBA must hold a home address to claim gift aid on donations you have paid. The BBA could be losing out on an extra 25 per cent from your donation. Either or contact the BBA office direct to check whether we already have your home address.
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The Bar Council (England and Wales) · 289-293 High Holborn
London, London WC1V7HZ · United Kingdom
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