Barristers
BSB: legal aid cuts drive “unprecedented increase” in complaints by litigants in person
Complaints against barristers by litigants-in-person (LiPs) forced by legal aid cuts to represent themselves have continued to spike, according to the Bar Standards Board. It has received as many complaints from LiPs in the first half of 2011 as it did in 2009 and 2010 combined.
Bar Council fails governance test again while Law Society goes to the wire
The Bar Council is once again not compliant with the rules on ensuring the independence of its regulatory arm, the Legal Services Board has decided – while the Law Society’s compliance remains unresolved. But the Bar Council has been given one more year to get its house in order.
QASA under pressure with sudden move to pilot scheme and barristers up in arms
The controversial Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates may now be subject to a full pilot, it has emerged, at the same time as criminal barristers are up in arms at Legal Services Commission plans to use the scheme to end payments for QCs, which they say threatens its whole future.
Barristers lash “out of touch” BSB over disciplinary cases
The Bar Standards Board will face a “storm of protest” over its “ridiculous” review of whether to lower the burden of proof in disciplinary cases against barristers, it has been warned. The change will “make it easier” to convict barristers where it is their word against the client’s.
LSB gives green light to barristers joining ABSs
The Legal Services Board has approved changes to the Bar Code of Conduct that will allow barristers to become partners and employees of alternative business structures. The bar’s rulebook as currently drafted would prevents barristers from working for an ABS.
Barristers seek urgent rule change to allow them to compete more with solicitors
Public access barristers will be able to compete more effectively with solicitors for legal aid clients under an urgent rule change being considered by the Bar Standards Board. However, both the speed of and the motivation for the move have been criticised by the Legal Services Consumer Panel.
Bar Council takes advice on whether referral fees fall foul of Bribery Act
The Bar Council is taking leading counsel’s advice on whether referral fees amount to bribes under the Bribery Act 2010 ahead of possibly promoting an amendment to the legal aid bill to ban them, chairman Peter Lodder QC has revealed.
LSB to press ahead with forcing firms and chambers to publish staff diversity data
The Legal Services Board looks set to force legal practices to gather and publish equality and diversity data, despite concern that the policy could provoke non-compliance and create a false view of the profession because of relcutance to disclose sensitive information such as sexual orientation or religious belief.
ABSs could be good move for women, BME and disabled barristers, says Bar regulator
Alternative business structures (ABSs) could be good news for women, black and minority ethnic, and disabled barristers, the Bar Standards Board has predicted, after approving rules that will allow barristers to become partners and owners of ABSs.
Barristers and solicitors continue battle over role of judges in advocacy assessments
The Bar has launched a last-ditch bid to focus the criminal advocates’ quality assurance scheme on judicial evaluation and steer it away from the alternative assessment centre route favoured by solicitors. Despite lobbying from solicitor groups, the SRA has confirmed its support for the scheme.
“Legally Speaking” website to engage with consumers as panel survives quango cull
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board have begun work on creating an online “virtual community” for consumers known as “Legally Speaking”. The news comes as we can reveal the Legal Services Consumer Panel has escaped the “bonfire of the quangos” – just as the panel’s chairwoman is stepping down.
A single regulator for all lawyers post-ABS is “logical and plausible”, says LSB report
A single regulator for all legal services is “logical and plausible”, but not inevitable, a report for the Legal Services Board has concluded. Former Ministry of Justice official Nick Smedley argued that the existence of multiple regulators “focused on the differences of individual practitioners” is unlikely to be relevant in a post-alternative business structures market.
BSB: legal aid cuts driving more litigants-in-person and gripes over opposing barristers
Complaints against barristers by litigants-in-person forced by legal aid cuts to represent themselves are rising fast, according to the Bar Standards Board. Many result from a misunderstanding of the role of opposition barristers. The Justice Bill, containing more cuts, should be published today.
Avoiding judicial evaluation under QASA will cost advocates dear – literally
Magistrates’ court advocates who choose an assessment centre route to progress under the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) could pay as much as 15 times more than those who undergo judicial evaluation.
Bar students set for first LPC exemptions, but will providers discount their fees?
Bar students are set to become the first group offered exemptions from parts of the legal practice course (LPC), it has emerged. However, LPC providers will not be required to offer a discount on fees. The move has been driven by changes to the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme.
Blog
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Tech has the equivalent of an old boy’s network. That makes it harder for women to break in. It also makes it harder when it comes to networking, finding backers and ultimately clients.
How legal judgement is shifting in in-house practice
Across UK organisations, legal teams are now involved earlier in decision-making, often before proposals have taken a settled shape.
AI in family law – drawing the line for clients and lawyers
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