Barristers
Barrister who failed to give “unwelcome advice” suspended
A barrister who failed to give “unwelcome advice” to an “over-enthusiastic client” has been suspended for a month by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.
Barrister should not have been suspended for “robing room gossip”
An experienced barrister should not have been suspended for “mere gossip” in the robing rooms of Crown Courts, the High Court was told this week.
BSB will be “held to account” over poor criminal advocacy
The Bar Standards Board was told yesterday that it will be held to account over how it deals with poor-quality criminal advocacy after its decision to ditch QASA.
High Court backs bankrupt barrister in fees battle
Any fees not yet paid to a barrister at the time of his bankruptcy do not vest in his trustee in bankruptcy if they arise on a non-contractual basis, the High Court has ruled.
Barrister permanently banned from direct access work
A barrister already suspended multiple times by Bar disciplinary tribunals has been fined a total of £4,000 and permanently banned from direct access work.
QCs should keep title unless disbarred, Bar Council says
QCs should not lose their designation unless they are excluded from the profession and even then not automatically, the Bar Council has said.
Appeal judges reject criminals’ “cynical” attempt to blame barrister
The Court of Appeal has rejected what it described as a “cynical” attempt by two criminals to blame their barrister for confiscation orders made against them.
Barco shuts as commercial escrow providers emerge
Barco, the Bar Council’s third-party escrow service used by barristers and solicitors, has shut down after “suitable” commercial providers entered the market.
LSB: SMEs attracted by firms with price transparency
When small businesses believe they can trust the transparency of legal providers on fees, they are twice as likely to seek the advice of lawyers, according to the Legal Services Board.
Barrister fined for failing to follow instructions
An experienced criminal law barrister has been fined by a disciplinary tribunal for failing to apply for a forfeiture order on behalf of his client.
Blog
Could unpredictable AI costs finally lead firms to true value pricing?
For years, the legal profession has talked of moving away from the billable hour to value-based pricing without quite managing it.
Is your Google Ads budget funding your competitors’ AI visibility?
If your cost-per-click has crept up again this year, you’ve probably assumed the market simply got more expensive. That’s the wrong way to read what’s happening.
Containing the spread of unapproved AI
Nearly 60% of fee-earners admit to using unapproved tools (like free versions of ChatGPT). Yet 68% of firm leaders are confident there is zero risk of unapproved AI being used for client work.
Reports
Associates
