Issue 210 | 5 October 2023
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Welcoming the new Lady Chief Justice
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Dame Sue Carr made history this week as the first Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales. At the swearing in ceremony, Nick Vineall KC, the Chair of the Bar Council, described Dame Sue Carr as an “unprecedented role model”.
Adding: "Helena Normanton, called in 1921, was the first woman to practise as a barrister. In 1949 she and Rose Heilbron were the first women to be appointed King's Counsel. My lady in 1987 when you were called to the Bar 20% of the practising Bar were women. When you took silk in 2003 the figure was 32%. Today it is 40%.
"The constitutional importance of the post of Lady Chief Justice cannot be overstated. The challenges involved cannot be overstated."
Read Nick's speech
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Voting opens today in the Bar Council elections for two categories: Self-employed Juniors over seven years in practice, and Employed King’s Counsel or Juniors over seven years in practice. Voting is open to all barristers – both self-employed and employed at all career stages – until 10:00 on Thursday 19 October.
To cast your vote, log in to MyBar, look for ‘Elections’ in the menu, and read the candidate statements and watch the videos before casting your votes.
Vote now
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When should we call people to the Bar - and other challenges for the Bar of 2043
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In his latest column for Counsel magazine, Chair of the Bar Council Nick Vineall KC said: "I hope that across the Inns, the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulators we can build a forward-thinking consensus to secure the future of our profession by only calling people to the Bar when they have completed pupillage."
Read Nick's column
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Alternative dispute resolution in international commercial transactions
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The Vice Chair of the Bar Council Sam Townend KC attended the International Lawyers' Conference organised by the Bar Council of India (BCI) in Delhi last month. At the event he said:
"The BCI has shown leadership in publishing Rules permitting for the possibility of foreign lawyers to practice in India. Also for entering an inaugural Memorandum of Understanding with the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Law Society which addresses how to intensify and expand the relationship between lawyers in the two jurisdictions. But there is more that can be done."
Read Sam's speech
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This year the Technology and Construction Court is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The celebrations include a flagship conference on the Future of Construction Law and Dispute Resolution The conference will take place on Thursday 2 November from 9:30 to 17:00 at King’s College London and will be followed by a gala dinner.
Find out more about the conference
With the permission of pupil supervisors and registration in advance, current pupils may attend the Future of Construction Law and Dispute Resolution conference at no cost. If you want to register for a pupil place then please email the name of the pupil, pupil supervisor and chambers to Sarah Kavanagh at ?subject=Conference%20Pupil%20Registration by Thursday 26 October.
In a blog for the Bar Council earlier this year, Vice Chair of the Bar, Sam Townend KC highlighted the history and importance of the Court on this special occasion. He said: "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
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 For Black History Month the Bar Council has put together a collection of blogs, articles and reflections on life at the Bar. Written by Black judges, barristers and other legal professionals, during October and throughout the year.
View online
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Get ready for Pro Bono Week
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 Get ready for the 22nd annual Pro Bono Week that will take place across the Bar from Monday 6 to Friday 10 November. The week is dedicated to promoting the importance of volunteering and creating a positive impact. There are lots of ways to get involved.
Find out more
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World Bar Conference 2024
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Save the date for the World Bar Conference next year. The event will take place between 15 to 17 May 2024. The conference is set to take place across the island of Ireland, in venues in Dublin and Belfast. Full details of the event will be announced in due course.
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Researchers at the University of Bath and University College London are conducting research interviews and have launched an online survey as part of an Autism in Court project. The researchers are asking barristers and other legal professionals with experiences of working with autistic people in court to participate in the research. The project particularly wants to hear feedback about giving evidence and the use of Special Measures.
Please feel free to share the survey with colleagues and networks. To participate in the online interviews with the research team or to contact the organisers please email:
Complete the survey
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‘Seen to be done’: CourtWatch comes to London
In a guest blog for the Bar Council, Alexandra Kimmons, the Campaigns and Communications Manager at Transform Justice, explains the CourtWatch London project. Volunteers visit one of three magistrates’ courts in London - Highbury Corner, Thames, or Croydon. They then write down basic information such as the type of hearing and the offence, as well as their honest reactions to what they see. Did they understand what was going on? How was the defendant treated by the court? Was the outcome fair?
Read Alexandra's blog
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Common Platform seminars for defence professionals on digital PET/BCM forms
HMCTS webinars
October and November
Staring at 8:30 or 17:30
Online
HMCTS are running a series of online, interactive seminars to support defence professionals in using the digital Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms in Common Platform. There will be seven webinars throughout October and early November.
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There Be Dragons: The post-Brexit legal landscape of Northern Ireland
Statute Law Society Lecture
Wednesday 18 October
Starts 18:00
Online and in-person London
Northern Ireland law, post-Brexit, presents an intriguing legal landscape. The Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol, now the Windsor Agreement, interacts awkwardly with the devolution settlement, the Belfast-Good Friday Agreement, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, EU law, the absence of the Assembly and Executive, and the British Constitution, to create a legal complexity which looks set to continue. The aim of this talk, perhaps optimistically, is to provide a road map for those who must navigate the terrain.
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Public Access for barristers
Bar Council training
19 - 20 October
Day one: 9:00 - 17:30
Day two: 9:00 - 13:45
Online
Attend this Bar Council course to gain the skills and practical experience to conduct public access work and meet all requirements to become a PA practitioner after completing the 1.5 days of training. When registration with Bar Records has been confirmed, you can undertake PA work immediately. CPD 10 hours.
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Litigation training
Bar Council course
Thursday 2 November
9:00 - 17:40
Online
This Bar Council one-day course will prepare you to take on litigation in public access cases, and provide you with the required training to extend your practising certificate and take on new work.
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The Rt Hon Lord Justice Popplewell - Judging truth from memory
Commercial Bar Association Annual Lecture
Tuesday 7 November
Starts 17:30
In-person, London
This COMBAR event will look at the implications which the current state of scientific research on memory has for evidence and fact finding in commercial litigation.
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Public Access sharpener
Bar Council training
Tuesday 7 November
9:00 - 16:30
Online
This training offers further public access skills for barristers. Alternative legal delivery models are now more pertinent than ever, as the legal services market adapts to fast-changing consumer and professional clients’ needs. This workshop will sharpen and boost your Public Access practice, giving you the skills and confidence to take advantage of new opportunities.
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Tackling harassment, bullying and inappropriate behaviours
Bar Council training
Wednesday 8 November
9:00 - 11:00
In-person, London
This 2-hour Bar Council training course covers a detailed summary of the relevant law and rules. There are alternative dates and locations for this course available.
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Handling client complaints
Bar Council event
Tuesday 14 November
17:30 - 19:00
Online
This seminar will help barristers, clerks, and chambers management staff gain a better understanding of the reasons complaints are made by clients and learn how to try and avoid them. The course will also cover how best to manage complaints when they arise.
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Support Through Court Gala Dinner
Wednesday 22nd November
Time TBC
In-person, London
Support Through Court is a nationwide charity that provides non-legal help, advice, and support to those facing court alone, enabling people to navigate the system. The dinner is to celebrate the launch of a new online service in partnership with Nottingham Trent University.
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Lord Anderson of Ipswich KBE KC - Writing a Constitution
Annual Lord Renton Lecture, Statute Law Society
Thursday 30 November
Starts 18:00
Online and in-person London
Lord Anderson is a practising KC, a part-time judge and a cross-bench peer in the House of Lords, where he sits on the Constitution Committee. Our constitutional arrangements have a proud history but are widely seen as deficient. This lecture will explore what we could aspire to, how it might be achieved and where we should start.
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 Baby Loss Awareness Week
In honour of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October), we have teamed up with Keeley Lengthorn, a leading solicitor at Taylor Rose MW to develop free workplace pregnancy loss training.
The online training has been designed specifically to raise awareness amongst barristers, clerks and chambers staff on how pregnancy loss can affect colleagues and provides advice on how best to support grieving parents through this time.
If you think you or your chambers could benefit from this free training, please contact us at or call us on 028 9621 6345. You can also visit our website for more information.
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