Counsel Magazine

‘The ethical code of the Bar is one of our great strengths. We need more of it in politics,’ says Sir Robert Neill KC (Hon) MP. As the influential Chair of the Commons Justice Select Committee prepares to stand down, he talks to Anthony Inglese CB about his barrister roots and key wins in Parliament 

Equality of opportunity needs to start much earlier – at primary school. Jessica Powers’ lessons learnt driving diversity and inclusion in barrister recruitment and retention 

If we fail to nurture women’s collective talent at the Criminal Bar, half the population of this country will not be properly represented. We cannot let all the hard work be undone, says Tana Adkin KC 

On 18 March 2024, the official ceremony took place at Westminster Hall where the successful applicants in the 2023 competition were formally sworn in as King’s Counsel. Here’s a flavour of the special day and congratulations to all

From Africa to the Bar of England and Wales, and expertly navigating its challenges. Head of chambers Ayesha Hasan shares her lessons learnt 

Jaspal Kaur-Griffin shares some tips from the project management world for avoiding common pitfalls 

Let’s hear it for the assessors, says Dame Anne Rafferty of the KC Selection Panel. And to make silk assessors’ lives a little easier when applicants come calling in May, Dame Anne fields some commonly asked questions 

Creating advocacy opportunities for juniors is now the expectation but not always easy to put into effect. Tom Mitcheson KC distils developing best practice from the Patents Court initiative already bearing fruit 

If your current practice environment is bringing you down, seek a new one. However daunting the change, it will be worth it, says Anon Barrister 

The long-running fee-paid judicial pensions saga continues. The current cut-off date for giving notice of election to join FPJPS is 31 March 2024, and that date now gives rise to a serious problem, warns HH John Platt 

Most of us like to think we would risk our career in order to meet our ethical obligations, so why have so many lawyers failed to hold the line? asks Flora Page 

As the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill is debated in Parliament and legal circles, Chris Hodges OBE, Chair of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, explains why they recommended this controversial route 

The spectre of injustice brought about by failures in the regime for disclosure of unused material continue to scar the criminal justice system, says Jonathan Fisher KC  

Jeremy Barnett and David Ormerod CBE KC (Hon) explore the emerging technologies and principles at stake 

With extremist views becoming more commonplace, is the law keeping up? Leila Taleb examines the increasingly uneasy balance between freedom of expressoin and protected characteristics 

Spring break anyone? Dominic Regan offers practical tips for making the most of Eurostar 

Not a golden oldie. David Langwallner continues his series with a rather controversial choice   

'Carpe diem!' says William Byfield 

A cultural life and times

Daniel Barnett tests two engineering feats 

Championing underrepresented talent, 10K Black Interns 2024 is open for applications. Mentee Tendai Chiguvare and mentor Anna Walsh share their experience of the summer internship scheme at the Bar 

Bibi Badejo reports from a packed Inns of Court Women’s Alliance event examining the experiences of Black women barristers and imparting crucial advice for Black women navigating the legal profession 

Ensuring recruitment processes are fair, and free from bias, is essential to drive diversity at the Bar. Bindi Dholakia and Rachel Krys examine the theory and practice 

The North Eastern Circuit Leader on his trailblazing career, turbulent early years of practice and his mission to equip all barristers, regardless of their characteristics, with the opportunity to thrive. Interview by Glenn Parsons  

The Vice Chair-elect of the Bar talks to Michael V Sternberg KC about her election (and how she got there), why it is now time to raise the voice of the Family Bar, and her continued drive for equality, diversity and inclusion 

With AI models the subject of litigation worldwide, courts are grappling with what copyright protects, what it should  protect, and how. Mark Wilden reports 

The UK can be proud to have hosted the Bletchley AI Safety Summit but there is so much more to be done to make AI safe, secure and trustworthy, say Robin Allen KC and Dee Masters 

Should healthcare practitioners be liable where treatment assisted by AI goes wrong? Robert Kellar KC explores the ways in which AI is reshaping the practice of medicine and clinical negligence law 

Andrew Goddard KC and Laura Hussey consider the new skills barristers will need to become the legal superstars of the future 

The winning essay is ‘Not OK Computer: A Proposed AI Transparency Framework for the UK’ by Louis Dejeu-Castang 

The Bar Council crunches the data to tell the real story of who gets pupillage... and when 

Newly minted Bar graduates compete at a ratio of 300:1 for a golden ticket to Wonka’s Criminal Justice Factory. The Secret Barrister explains why…

The Bar Standards Board on what you need to know about training to become a barrister in England and Wales

Laurence Cooper explores the high-stakes world of choosing a Bar training course provider

How to fund training is often a student’s biggest concern. Here, Rose Malleson takes a look at the types of scholarship and financing options available