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16 August 2007 / Richard Harrison
Issue: 7286 / Categories: Opinion , Procedure & practice , Profession
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Counsel of perfection

Richard Harrison suggests ways in which barristers can ensure repeat instructions from solicitors

Despite the rise of the solicitor advocate and the emergence of the advocacy department in some larger litigation firms, it remains my view that the best resource for a client engaged in the litigation process is an appropriately constituted team of solicitors and barristers. This article is not about my reasons for that view, but about how members of the Bar can ensure that they cross a solicitor’s radar more than once. It provides practical tips on how to get on with instructing solicitors.

Disclaimer time: any clerks to whose attention this is drawn and who know me will have had their barristers instructed by me or my firm on a repeat basis. Therefore those barristers will probably have passed the tests suggested.

INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND CONFERENCE

One of the obvious arguments for instructing counsel is specialist expertise. Another, just as important, is objectivity. However, the instruction of an external specialist should not prevent solicitor and counsel being seen by

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Megan Bradbury

Clarke Willmott—Megan Bradbury

Corporate team welcomes paralegal in Southampton

Howard Kennedy—Paul Moran

Howard Kennedy—Paul Moran

London firm strengthens real estate team with partner appointment

Cripps—Radius Law

Cripps—Radius Law

Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire

NEWS
Pathfinder courts—renamed ‘Child focused courts’—are to be rolled out nationally, following a successful pilot where backlogs halved and cases were resolved up to seven and a half months faster
The Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed a £385,000 costs order against a father, in a case that centred on what is required to meet the threshold of ‘reprehensible or unreasonable’ behaviour
Centuries-old burial laws would be overhauled, under Law Commission proposals to address the burgeoning problem of shortage of cemetery space
The government has committed an extra £32m to women’s charities and services tackling addiction, trauma, abuse and homelessness
The Financial Ombudsman is poised for major reform to return it to a simple, impartial dispute resolution service
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