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The Legal Services Board (“LSB”) will have powers to enter and search the premises of the Bar Council and other legal profession regulators under government proposals. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on the enforcement powers of the LSB when it assumes its role as oversight regulator early next year. Th ese include the power to take over some of the functions of any persistent or seriously failing regulator. Th e LSB will be able to apply for a court warrant to enter and search the regulator’s premises, and retrieve any documents needed to ensure a seamless takeover. Th e consultation asks whether any material should be exempt from search warrants and what a judge should take into account when deciding an application. It ends on 21 January 2010. In a first for the legal profession,
the LSB has appointed an independent consumer panel of eight lay persons to help shape the regulatory framework for lawyers. An early priority for the panel, which meets for the fi rst time at the end of November, will be the issue of referral fees. The experience of panel
membe r s cove r s t r ading standards, housing, business advice, employment law, health care, policing and refugee policy. Dr Dianne Hayter, the former vice-chair of the Financial Services Consumer Panel, who will chair the panel, said it would assess proposals “from the standpoint of users of legal services”. It will publish its advice.
The Legal Services Board (“LSB”) will have powers to enter and search the premises of the Bar Council and other legal profession regulators under government proposals. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on the enforcement powers of the LSB when it assumes its role as oversight regulator early next year. Th ese include the power to take over some of the functions of any persistent or seriously failing regulator. Th e LSB will be able to apply for a court warrant to enter and search the regulator’s premises, and retrieve any documents needed to ensure a seamless takeover. Th e consultation asks whether any material should be exempt from search warrants and what a judge should take into account when deciding an application. It ends on 21 January 2010. In a first for the legal profession,
the LSB has appointed an independent consumer panel of eight lay persons to help shape the regulatory framework for lawyers. An early priority for the panel, which meets for the fi rst time at the end of November, will be the issue of referral fees. The experience of panel
membe r s cove r s t r ading standards, housing, business advice, employment law, health care, policing and refugee policy. Dr Dianne Hayter, the former vice-chair of the Financial Services Consumer Panel, who will chair the panel, said it would assess proposals “from the standpoint of users of legal services”. It will publish its advice.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Examined by Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
Time is precious for barristers. Every moment spent chasing paperwork, organising diaries, or managing admin is time taken away from what matters most: preparation, advocacy and your clients. That’s where Eden Assistants step in
AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, outlines why barristers, solicitors, judges, social workers and local authorities across the UK trust AlphaBiolabs for court-admissible testing
Through small but meaningful efforts, we can restore the sense of collegiality that has been so sorely eroded, says Baldip Singh
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Looking to develop a specialist practice? Mariya Peykova discusses the benefits of secondments and her placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office
Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...
Review by Stephen Cragg KC
