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Driving change at the Bar

13 July 2017 / Chris Ronan
Issue: 7754 / Categories: Features , Profession
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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

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NEWS
Writing in NLJ this week, Kelvin Rutledge KC of Cornerstone Barristers and Genevieve Screeche-Powell of Field Court Chambers examine the Court of Appeal’s rejection of a discrimination challenge to Tower Hamlets’ housing database
Michael Zander KC, Emeritus Professor at LSE, tracks the turbulent passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords in this week's issue of NLJ. Two marathon debates drew contributions from nearly 200 peers, split between support, opposition and conditional approval
Alistair Mills of Landmark Chambers reflects on the Human Rights Act 1998 a quarter-century after it came into force, in this week's issue of NLJ
In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ, Stephen Gold surveys a raft of procedural changes and quirky disputes shaping civil practice. His message is clear: civil practitioners must brace for continual tweaks, unexpected contentions and rising costs in everyday litigation
Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar 2025 and joint head of chambers at 4PB, sets out in this week's NLJ how the profession will respond to Baroness Harriet Harman KC’s review into bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at the Bar
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