Chair's Column

Addressing the Young Bar Conference; a week in the life of a Chairman of the Bar; praise for those working so hard at the Bar Council; and a preview of the Bar Conference.

I was delighted to give a keynote address at the recent successful Young Bar Conference. My contribution was described as the Chairman’s opportunity to inform the Young Bar about his work and that of the Bar Council. So to give it veracity, I spoke of my diary in the preceding week. It was suggested that I should also set it out here: 

A meeting with the Lord Chancellor; the fight for a ban on referral fees;  the annual Bar Conference; and some positive news at last

Following my letter to him in July, I met the Lord Chancellor on 7 September, when we had a robust exchange of views. I reinforced the thrust of the letter: that cuts are having a significant impact on the availability of pupillages in chambers focused on publicly funded work, that there is growing evidence that young barristers are moving away from crime and family work after a few years of practice, and that the good progress which the Bar has made over several years in improving the diversity of the profession is being placed at risk. I restated the anger and despondency of the publicly funded Bar. 

A letter to the Lord Chancellor; a report on the national meeting of the criminal Bar; progress of the BSB’s QASA; and modernising chambers’ business structures.

This has not been a quiet summer. The Government has been given much to think about. Whatever the cause, and accepting that the events may have been unusual, what is clear is that the justice system has been struggling to cope. Often we have warned the Government about the current problems of under funding; let us hope that they now see that our observations are not just self-interest.

A long hard look at the Government responses to the legal aid and Jackson consultations and at the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

Finally, at the end of June, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and Government responses to the legal aid reform and Jackson consultations were published. What has the Government been doing which took so long?  

Promoting the Bar in the media; still waiting for LSC payments; legal aid; engaging in the Advocate Panel Scheme; growing opportunities abroad; and the survey of working life at the modern Bar. 

The continuing uncertainty over legal aid reform; BSB entity regulation; concerns over CPS panels; key note speech for June 20; and the opening of an  ADR centre in Kolkata.

I begin by offering hearty congratulations to Michael Todd QC and Stephen Collier on their election as Chairman-Elect and Treasurer-Elect; we are fortunate to have the service and commitment of such high quality practitioners. 

Response to Government announcement on Jackson; the Norgrove Review; criminal legal aid update; inaugural Bar Debate; and a clutch of new Silks.

We now have the Government response to the consultation on implementation of the Jackson reforms. It will have caused dismay to many. In large measure it intends to adopt all of the proposals. 

Preparing for all eventualities in a radically different market

Contributor
Peter Lodder QC, Bar Chairman 

The Bar Council has always opposed One Case One Fee (OCOF). History has taught us that with this method of payment advocates face a battle for a proper share of the case fee. 

Synoposis of Bar’s response to MoJ’s consultation papers on legal aid and Jackson. The Bar has concluded that most of the legal aid proposals will cause irreparable damage

Contributor
Peter Lodder QC

The Bar Council responses to the Legal Aid Consultation Green Paper and the Jackson implementation proposals have gone to the Ministry of Justice. I am very grateful to Stephen Cobb QC and his team for the enormous efforts they have made. They have produced analyses of the two sets of proposals that are well reasoned, balanced and very much in the public interest. 

An outline of the Bar Council’s strategy 

Contributor
Peter Lodder QC  

A few weeks into the year and the predominant issue remains clear: the challenges of the proposed spending cuts which will have a profound effect on both the Civil and Criminal Justice Systems.