*/
The Bar Chairman slammed the ‘eye-watering’ cost of qualification as he called on the profession to do more to attract and retain the best junior barristers.
In his inaugural address, Andrew Langdon QC said the fees charged for the current course were ‘indefensible’ and expressed support for the two-part exam proposed by the Council of the Inns of Court.
‘I want us to focus in 2017 on opening the door wider to young, socially diverse talent and to enabling fair competition for junior barristers,’ he said.
More widely, Langdon warned of the risk of injustice without skilled advocates and noted a ‘shared frustration’ that policy makers undervalue the work of the Bar, which he said has resulted in ‘a lack of confidence in the future for the mainstream Bar’.
Proposals to extend civil fixed recoverable fees, he warned, risk the Bar ‘being squeezed out of the process’ and resulting in longer trials and more satellite litigation. He suggested a mechanism to allow recoverability of costs reasonably incurred instructing counsel.
In criminal legal aid cases, to ensure the best advocate for the job is instructed, he said the Legal Aid Agency should operate a ‘purchaser’s panel’, with advocates graded according to training, skill and experience.
He insisted it was ‘not Bar-protectionism’, but a way to restore confidence at the junior criminal Bar.
On moves towards online dispute resolution, Langdon suggested there needed to be a Plan B and said the Bar should be able to articulate its concerns without ‘fear of being castigated as Luddite or lacking vision’.
The Bar Chairman slammed the ‘eye-watering’ cost of qualification as he called on the profession to do more to attract and retain the best junior barristers.
In his inaugural address, Andrew Langdon QC said the fees charged for the current course were ‘indefensible’ and expressed support for the two-part exam proposed by the Council of the Inns of Court.
‘I want us to focus in 2017 on opening the door wider to young, socially diverse talent and to enabling fair competition for junior barristers,’ he said.
More widely, Langdon warned of the risk of injustice without skilled advocates and noted a ‘shared frustration’ that policy makers undervalue the work of the Bar, which he said has resulted in ‘a lack of confidence in the future for the mainstream Bar’.
Proposals to extend civil fixed recoverable fees, he warned, risk the Bar ‘being squeezed out of the process’ and resulting in longer trials and more satellite litigation. He suggested a mechanism to allow recoverability of costs reasonably incurred instructing counsel.
In criminal legal aid cases, to ensure the best advocate for the job is instructed, he said the Legal Aid Agency should operate a ‘purchaser’s panel’, with advocates graded according to training, skill and experience.
He insisted it was ‘not Bar-protectionism’, but a way to restore confidence at the junior criminal Bar.
On moves towards online dispute resolution, Langdon suggested there needed to be a Plan B and said the Bar should be able to articulate its concerns without ‘fear of being castigated as Luddite or lacking vision’.
Now is the time to tackle inappropriate behaviour at the Bar as well as extend our reach and collaboration with organisations and individuals at home and abroad
A comparison – Dan Monaghan, Head of DWF Chambers, invites two viewpoints
And if not, why not? asks Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Head of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, discusses the many benefits of oral fluid drug testing for child welfare and protection matters
To mark International Women’s Day, Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management looks at how financial planning can help bridge the gap
Casey Randall of AlphaBiolabs answers some of the most common questions regarding relationship DNA testing for court
Maria Scotland and Niamh Wilkie report from the Bar Council’s 2024 visit to the United Arab Emirates exploring practice development opportunities for the England and Wales family Bar
Marking Neurodiversity Week 2025, an anonymous barrister shares the revelations and emotions from a mid-career diagnosis with a view to encouraging others to find out more
David Wurtzel analyses the outcome of the 2024 silk competition and how it compares with previous years, revealing some striking trends and home truths for the profession
Save for some high-flyers and those who can become commercial arbitrators, it is generally a question of all or nothing but that does not mean moving from hero to zero, says Andrew Hillier