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14 January 2026
Issue: 8145 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Criminal , Legal aid focus , Arbitration , Equality
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Brimelow sets out Bar priorities for 2026

Bar campaigns will focus on protecting juries, legal aid and children’s rights in the year ahead with a working group already looking into the age of criminal responsibility, chair Kirsty Brimelow KC has said

Giving her inaugural address as chair at Gray’s Inn this week, Brimelow said the current age of ten years is the lowest in Europe, while many children in custody are care-experienced, and neurodiversity and learning disabilities are ‘significantly over-represented’.

Brimelow will challenge government proposals to reduce jury trials, fight for legal aid increases, promote commercial and arbitration work at home and abroad, and campaign for more data collection on cases involving abuse and murder due to witchcraft beliefs. She proposes the Sentencing Council consider including witchcraft belief as an aggravating factor when sentencing.

Another major campaign is fairer allocation of briefs among barristers by solicitors and earnings inequality at the Bar. Brimelow said: ‘Junior barristers and women often don’t bill to reflect the work that they have done, feeling pressured or lacking confidence.’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Withers—Sophie Barrett-Brown

Withers—Sophie Barrett-Brown

Withers drives further growth in its UK immigration team with new partner Sophie Barrett-Brown

Venus Legal—Esther Amoako

Venus Legal—Esther Amoako

Venus Legal invests in next generation of legal talent as specialist litigation practice grows

Fisher Phillips—Catrina Smith

Fisher Phillips—Catrina Smith

Fisher Phillips continues momentum in London with arrival of Catrina Smith

NEWS
Restrictions on workplace non-disclosure agreements could make settlements slower, more complex and more expensive when reforms expected in 2027 take effect
Private prosecutors face closer scrutiny under Crown Prosecution Service guidance designed to strengthen accountability and consistency when intervention is requested
Foreign states cannot necessarily claim immunity for cyber operations launched abroad against computers in Britain, following a divided Supreme Court ruling
Defendants who make unsupported complaints about their lawyers risk losing legal aid while confiscation proceedings continue without representation
Lawyers advising Russian clients face different sanctions restrictions across the UK, EU and US, despite their shared objective of increasing pressure on Russia
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