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22 November 2018 / Andrew Walker KC
Issue: 7818 / Categories: Opinion , Brexit , Legal services , Profession
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A Bar for the future

Andrew Walker QC shares his reflections on a year in office & looks ahead

As Chair of the Bar this year, I have tried to focus relentlessly on seeking to secure a better future: for the Bar itself, of course, but also in every area affecting the Bar and which the Bar cares about as a profession. It has been a difficult agenda, with many strands. We owe it to the Bar to pursue all of those strands with vigour, and I hope the Bar will judge that we have done so, and are continuing to do so. As the end of my term approaches, what do I see ahead?

For years, we have seemed to be on the back foot, fighting off yet further damaging changes, with little opportunity to move forward. Some of this is now changing, little by little, and we have been working hard to try to build the relationships that can make this happen.

A major focus has been on improving the situation for the

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NEWS
Lawyers have welcomed the Lord Chancellor’s reverse-ferret on jury reforms, but expressed ‘serious concerns’ about the decision to exclude fraud trials
From ‘rats in the robing room’ to ‘overworked’ judges and a shortage of court staff, barristers have aired their concerns about the state of the justice system
The use of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) poses ‘significant risks’ across the justice system, public services and government, and current regulation is ‘poorly suited’ to control it, experts have warned
The solicitors’ regulator has paused controversial plans to exclude owner-managers from compliance officer roles
The government has launched a £16m legal support grant to support 48 frontline legal advice organisations supporting people facing eviction, problem debt, benefit disputes and family breakdown
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