• Illegal Migration Bill

• Family mediation plans

• Mentors needed

• New wellbeing certificates

• Homes for Ukraine

• Cybersecurity questionnaire

• Advocate panels diversity

• Part-time judge pensions

• Judicial independence in Sri Lanka

• Commercial courts

• Celebrating TCC150

• Blog: Ramadan at the Bar

• Blog: Climate crisis

• Events

• Vacancies

• Promotions

Rushed migration Bill runs counter to the rule of law, says the Bar Council

Ahead of the second reading of the Illegal Migration Bill in Parliament, the Bar Council issued a press release and briefing to MPs setting out our concerns about the Bill.

Nick Vineall KC, Chair of the Bar, said: “This Bill has been introduced on an extraordinarily truncated timescale with no prior consultation. There is no justification for such exceptional haste which will impact the level of scrutiny and debate and ultimately makes for bad law.

“The Bar Council is concerned that some features of the Bill, if enacted, would run counter to normal conceptions of the rule of law, including curtailing the court’s supervisory jurisdiction in the early stages of detention.

“We also remain deeply concerned by the tone of the debate on the issues of asylum and immigration, including the denigrating of lawyers who work in this area which further undermines confidence in the legal system and profession.”

Read the Bar Council press release and briefing

Bar Council comments on family mediation plans

Commenting on the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to fund mandatory mediation for separating couples announced today, Sam Townend KC, Vice Chair of the Bar, said:

"The Bar Council welcomes the consultation announcement and the opportunity it provides to focus on how to address the outstanding case backlogs in the family justice system. The additional money to support mediation is welcome and we will consider the issue of making mediation mandatory. Provision for mediation without allowing for prior legal advice is unlikely to be generally successful and may, in cases where there is a real discrepancy in resources, be detrimental. We look forward to considering the consultation and responding."

Find out more and respond to the consultation

Mentors needed

There is a long tradition and culture of mentoring at the Bar. From pupillage onwards, barristers learn and develop their skills by watching and working with more experienced colleagues.

The Bar Council is looking for mentors for two of our mentoring schemes:

Silk and Judicial Appointments mentoring scheme

Maternity and New Family mentoring scheme

If you would like more information about mentoring at the Bar or want to volunteer as a mentor then please email:

New wellbeing certificates

The Bar Council has revamped its Certificate of Recognition programme. These certificates acknowledge the huge efforts made across the profession to support the wellbeing of barristers, clerks and chambers' staff. Chambers are invited to apply for a certificate in recognition of their work to promote wellbeing. To be considered in the current round, please apply by Friday 31 March.

Access the guidance on making an application for the new certificates

If you want to apply for the first time, download this application form

For those with an old certificate, download the reapplication form

Homes for Ukraine

The Bar Council's Homes for Ukraine Scheme has been designed to match Ukrainian lawyers and civilians who are seeking accommodation in the UK to be matched with barristers who have volunteered to open their homes for a minimum period of six months.

To be included in the scheme, you must be prepared to offer accommodation to an applicant for a period of at least six months. If you are not a British citizen, then you must have had leave to remain in the UK for a period of at least six months.

Find out more information and volunteer

Cybersecurity questionnaire - one year on

The Bar Council and the Law Society jointly launched the information security questionnaire on 25 March 2022. One year on and we have received lots of positive feedback on the impact of the initiative for chambers. The Bar Council has worked hard to produce a single common standardised questionnaire that law firms can use when instructing chambers to ensure they have all the necessary cybersecurity measures in place.

Essex Court Chambers operations manager Jacky Chase, who helped create the questionnaire, said the form is "a vital tool in ensuring your chambers has taken all possible care in protecting its data."

Download the questionnaire

Diversity information for CPS advocate panels

At the February Bar Council meeting Max Hill KC spoke of the importance of equitable briefing practices in improving the diversity and longer-term health of criminal advocacy. One way that prosecution advocates are being asked to help is to anonymously declare their protected characteristics. It is easy to do and should only take a few minutes:

1. Log in to the Advocate Panel Portal

2. Click on the Personal Details button

3. Update and save your equalities information

The CPS has also published guidance about providing diversity information.

Find out more information

Part-time judge pensions update

Following concerns that the Fee-Paid Judicial Pension Scheme would be impacted by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, the Lord Chancellor has written to the Lord Chief Justice to confirm that the scheme regulations would be preserved. Joshua Rozenberg KC (hon) has published the letter in full on his website.

Read the letter

Bar Council statement on judicial independence in Sri Lanka

In response to the news that the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament has accepted a request to refer the conduct of three Supreme Court judges to the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Committee on ethics and privileges, the Bar Council issued a message to politicians and press.

Nick Vineall KC, Chair of the Bar, said: “An independent judiciary is an essential and integral part of the rule of law ... We hope that the parliamentary authorities in Sri Lanka will reconsider most carefully the appropriateness of questioning Supreme Court Judges before a parliamentary committee, and we similarly hope that the Sri Lankan government will consider most carefully whether it can be ever be right to encourage disobedience to court orders.”

Find out more information

Europe sees emergence of specialist commercial courts to compete with UK

In an article for the International Bar Association, Nick Vineall KC has said there has not been a reduction in commercial work since the UK left the EU. He explains that the Commercial Court and the London arbitration sector are as busy, perhaps even busier, than before Brexit. He said:

"The reasons are firstly that the Commercial Court and London arbitration sees a wide cross section of the world’s disputes, and parties domiciled in the EU/EEA [European Economic Area] only account for a modest part of litigation in the Commercial Court ... And secondly, the complexity of the problems thrown up in particular following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions have themselves created a great deal of work."

Read the full story

Celebrating TCC150

This year is the 150th anniversary of the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) and the celebrations include an exhibition and events throughout the year.

In a blog for the Bar Council, Vice Chair of the Bar, Sam Townend KC highlights the history and importance of the Court on this special occasion. He says "The exhibition includes a detailed timeline of the 150 years, warts and all ... There is so much to challenge the proper operation of the justice system, deprived as it is of adequate resourcing, so it is important to celebrate the good that we have. Happy Anniversary TCC!"

Read Sam’s blog

On Thursday 27 April the Society of Construction Law is hosting a seminar on ‘The evolution of technology litigation’ in London. On circuit there are events in Bristol on 18 May, in Birmingham on 6 July, and in Manchester on 5 October. On 2 November a one-day conference on ‘The future of construction law and dispute resolution’ will be followed by a gala dinner.

Find out more information and book your place

Blogs

How can the Bar support barristers and staff during Ramadan?

Fostering a more diverse legal profession is a critical part of building and maintaining public trust and confidence in the legal system. In a guest blog for the Bar Council Christianah Omobosola Babajide highlights how the Bar can support barristers and staff during Ramadan.

Read Christianah's blog

The Young Barristers’ Committee focus on the climate crisis

In his latest blog for the Bar Council, the Chair of the Young Barristers Committee, Michael Harwood said: "At the outset of the year, I wrote that one of my objectives for 2023 was to make the Young Barristers’ Committee front and centre on the Bar's response to the Climate Crisis. It is a multi-faceted goal, which to my mind requires - amongst other things - improving the number and quality of conversations the profession is having on the subject and how it affects our professional and personal lives."

Read Michael's blog

Events