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13 July 2017 / Chris Ronan
Issue: 7754 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Driving change at the Bar

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Chris Ronan, chief executive at St John’s Buildings, shares some tips for setting a strategy for success

  • When grouped together as part of chambers, barristers must work together to achieve a set of mutually-agreed objectives.
  • A clear strategy and effective implementation is critical for the growth of a modern chambers.

The barristers’ profession is undergoing great change. Successive governments have introduced new laws and regulations, such as the Public Access Scheme and the 2007 Legal Services Act, which have fundamentally changed the way in which barristers as individuals and chambers as business centres operate. Although both of these examples came into effect several years ago, the opportunities are only now being realised.

A theme during recent years has been the continued expansion, both in terms of size and scope, of barristers’ chambers. Barristers are traditionally thought of as self-employed, and independent of thought and deed. This has proven to be a great strength in providing objective ‘arms-length’ strategic advice, and identifying and delivering winning arguments.

But when grouped together as

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Flint Bishop—Charlotte Harris

Sheffield expansion continues with appointment of commercial property partner

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson—Paul Duggan

Browne Jacobson strengthens banking and finance practice with latest partner appointment Paul Duggan

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Ward Hadaway—Chris Piggott

Employment partner joins Ward Hadaway

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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