The date for Bar Conference 2024 has been announced and, in a likely general election year, the headline speakers will be considering ‘What next for justice in England and Wales?’
This year’s headline speakers will be the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, the Lord Chancellor Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP and Shadow Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood MP. The event will be held in London on Saturday, 8 June.
The three headliners will debate the big issues facing the justice sector, as court backlogs continue to grow and public spending looks more challenging than ever. Each will also take part in Q&A discussions.
Other panel debates include the effectiveness of international courts, AI’s place in the justice sector, and reform in the wake of the Post Office scandal.
The programme contains practical sessions on earnings and work allocation, futureproofing practice through ADR, navigating ethical dilemmas at the Bar, and intergenerational differences between baby boomers, generation X, millennials and gen Z.
The Bar Council will also be hosting the Lifetime Achievement in Pro Bono, the Sydney Elland Goldsmith Award, to be presented by the Lord Chancellor.
Chair of the Bar Sam Townend KC said: ‘Bar Conference offers something for everyone. It’s a chance for the whole Bar to come together to grapple with the biggest challenges the justice sector.
‘Bar Conference took a break last year to give us the opportunity to rethink and refresh the format to give the profession an annual event to be proud of. We’ve listened to members and put together an excellent programme that tackles the important issues, offers practical sessions for career diversification and development, and includes useful professional networking.
‘I’m very much looking forward to seeing members from across the whole Bar coming together.’
Amrit Kaur Dhanoa, chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee, said: ‘Bar Conference brings the profession together, which can be hugely rewarding for those starting out in their careers at the Bar. It’s an invaluable opportunity to meet new people, exchange ideas, and engage in discussions over a new policy or practice area.’
The full programme and tickets are available through the Bar Council website.
