The outgoing chairman of the Bar, Alistair McDonald QC, has commended the Ministry of Justice, under the leadership of Michael Gove, for being prepared to listen to the Bar and act on its concerns. McDonald believes proposals in the recent consultation on criminal advocacy could, if implemented correctly, serve to strengthen criminal advocacy in England & Wales. Further evidence that the government was listening to the Bar’s concerns emerged when it announced that it would not proceed with the cuts to the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme .
27 November 2015
Positive overtones at the Bar
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group
From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career
Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore
Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton
Ellisons—Robert Tiffen
Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office
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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