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Brimelow sets out Bar priorities for 2026

14 January 2026
Categories: Legal News , Profession , Criminal , Legal aid focus , Arbitration , Equality
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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

Druces LLP—Daniel Lloyd

Druces LLP—Daniel Lloyd

Corporate and commercial team welcomes technology specialist as partner

Birketts—Michael Conway

Birketts—Michael Conway

IP partner joins team in Bristol to lead branding and trade marks practice

Spector Constant & Williams—Anna Christou

Spector Constant & Williams—Anna Christou

Real estate finance practice announces partner appointment

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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
Richard Orpin has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of the Legal Services Board (LSB), which oversees all nine legal regulators
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Lord Sales has become deputy president, and Lord Doherty a justice, at the Supreme Court. Both were sworn in this week at a ceremony conducted by the court’s president Lord Reed in Courtroom One
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