Bar round-up: St Philips to the City, new heads for Brick and Fountain Court, Wilberforce CEO to Keating, Starmer returns to Doughty

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Leading Birmingham set St Philips Chambers expanded into the City last week, opening in the heart of Bloomsbury on Tuesday (1 October) as it also seeks to finalise its merger with Chancery House Chambers in Leeds.

Already noted by The Legal 500 as a competitor to London sets owing to its ‘strength and depth’, St Philips, led by Kevin Hegarty QC, has established St Philips London in an effort to boost its offering in commercial, employment, regulatory, private funded crime, and family work. Continue reading “Bar round-up: St Philips to the City, new heads for Brick and Fountain Court, Wilberforce CEO to Keating, Starmer returns to Doughty”

Pulling the strings – the surprisingly successful re-invention of clerking

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The relationship between barrister and clerk has long outgrown its traditional master-and-servant image as the reputation of clerks has evolved. Legal Business goes behind closed doors into the elusive world of clerking.

It’s a typically busy morning for the senior clerk at a well-known civil set of chambers. Piles of paperwork cover the desk and the phone flashes red with multiple client voicemails. He has yet to tackle the diaries of 50-plus barristers, and his caffeine levels are running abnormally low. The door to his office, covered in portraits of ancient Queen’s Counsel, swings open and there stands the head of chambers, a veteran in the field of civil law and the regular recipient of multi-million pound briefs, with a dejected look on his face.

Continue reading “Pulling the strings – the surprisingly successful re-invention of clerking”

Tension and infighting as barristers resign from BSB panel over quality assurance scheme

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Tensions surrounding the regulation of the various limbs of the legal profession are at an all-time high as this week saw a number of barristers resign from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) disciplinary prosecution panel in protest at the imminent launch of a new quality assurance scheme.

The resignations come in a month that have revealed in more detail than ever the infighting between the various regulatory and representative bodies after the Ministry of Justice called for evidence on how best to regulate the profession going forward. Continue reading “Tension and infighting as barristers resign from BSB panel over quality assurance scheme”

Legal aid cuts blamed by Tooks Chambers as set announces its dissolution

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Leading civil liberties and human rights set Tooks Chambers has announced today (23 Sept) that it is to wind up its operations as a ‘direct result of government policies on legal aid’, following months of speculation surrounding its future.

In a statement published on its website this afternoon, the 30-year old set, which has been involved in tackling many high profile miscarriages of justice, including currently advising on the Hillsborough inquest, was scathing about the government’s legal aid cuts, saying: ‘The public service we provide is dependent on public funding. 90% of our work is publicly funded. The government policies led by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling are cumulatively devastating the provision of legal services and threatening the rule of law.’ Continue reading “Legal aid cuts blamed by Tooks Chambers as set announces its dissolution”

The Bar: Littleton Chambers QC heads to Kobre & Kim as Ince & Co partner joins Stone Chambers

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The increased fluidity between the various limbs of the legal profession has been in evidence over the past few days as offshore litigation boutique Kobre & Kim hires Littleton Chambers’ Andrew Stafford QC as a partner and high profile Ince & Co partner Jonathan Lux joins Stone Chambers, while Devereux Chambers has also announced the arrival of tax specialist Jolyon Maugham from 11 New Square. Stafford QC, who becomes Kobre’s third QC appointment, specialises in commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on financial services, pensions and employment related disputes. Continue reading “The Bar: Littleton Chambers QC heads to Kobre & Kim as Ince & Co partner joins Stone Chambers”

Sorry the hardest word as Bar Council apologises for getting its sums wrong

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In an embarrassing setback The Bar Council has apologised for incorrect figures submitted to the Ministry of Justice in support of its proposals to abolish the Legal Services Board (LSB).

The error came as the Bar’s representative body on 17 September put forward its proposals in response to the government’s call for proposals on ‘what could be done to simplify the regulatory framework and reduce unnecessary burdens on the legal sector while retaining appropriate regulatory oversight.’

Continue reading “Sorry the hardest word as Bar Council apologises for getting its sums wrong”

Bar round-up: Essex Court and Outer Temple Chambers boost their ranks

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It’s been a good summer so far for Essex Court Chambers and Outer Temple Chambers, with Daniel Oudkerk QC recently moving from 11 King’s Bench Walk to Essex Court, while David Russell QC and Robin Barclay have joined Outer Temple.

Oudkerk QC took silk in 2010 and focuses on employment disputes and commercial work, having acted for the successful claimants in the landmark conspiracy and team poaching litigation Tullett Prebon v BGC, as well as for the Swiss IDB ContiCap in an Unfair Competition Act claim. Continue reading “Bar round-up: Essex Court and Outer Temple Chambers boost their ranks”

Barristers free to conduct litigation as Bar watchdog ushers in new ‘risk-based’ conduct regime

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While the post-Legal Services Act (LSA) shake-up moves far more slowly for barristers than their solicitor cousins, the Bar continues to modernise at its own pace with new conduct rules unveiled this month heralding significant reforms.

The Bar Standards Board last week unveiled its new code of conduct for barristers allowing self-employed advocates to conduct litigation for the first time and to form associations with non-barristers – two significant steps towards liberalising lawyer regulation. Continue reading “Barristers free to conduct litigation as Bar watchdog ushers in new ‘risk-based’ conduct regime”

After mounting controversy Bar watchdogs face court challenge to procedures in high-stakes move

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Regulators are never popular but the Bar’s watchdogs have seen sustained controversy finally escalate into a court challenge to their procedures.

The High Court earlier this month heard a claim for judicial review of the Bar’s regulatory procedures related to problems with the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and Bar disciplinary tribunals identified last year. Continue reading “After mounting controversy Bar watchdogs face court challenge to procedures in high-stakes move”

Nicholas Medcroft joins Wilberforce Chambers as Erskine makes key hires and two leading sets take on new head

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Nicholas Medcroft has joined Wilberforce Chambers from Outer Temple Chambers in a week that has also seen Erskine Chambers welcome a three-barrister asset recovery team and leading sets 4 New Square and Essex Court Chambers take on a new head.

Medcroft is said by Legal 500 to be ‘the first person to turn to when it comes to matters relating to financial crime and banks.’ Specialising in professional negligence, business and banking, financial services and commercial fraud, he has worked on large scale litigation including acting for the Financial Reporting Council, alongside Fountain Court’s Tim Dutton QC, in the case against audit firm Deloitte over the collapse of the MG Rover Group. Continue reading “Nicholas Medcroft joins Wilberforce Chambers as Erskine makes key hires and two leading sets take on new head”