Chair's Column

Desmond Browne QC sums up the current position and highlights the issues to be addressed in the near future 

The time is now come for my final Chairman’ s Column . In Chancery Lane people stop to ask me whether there is light at the end of the tunnel. I can only reply that with so little light, there still seems an awful lot of tunnel. 

As the new Legal Year begins, Desmond Browne QC stresses the importance of access to justice for all 

The publicly funded Bar is facing an “annus horribilis”, with yet more proposed cuts – this time to criminal defence fees, writes Desmond Browne QC 

Desmond Browne QC reports on events affecting the Bar and notes the passing of the House of Lords’ Judicial Committee 

Desmond Browne QC pays tribute to the people involved in drafting the Bar’s consultation paper responses 

Competition with solicitor-advocates is causing deep concern, writes Desmond Browne QC 

In recent weeks I have visited chambers in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle. Everywhere I was met by deep concern about the wholly unfair terms on which solicitor-advocates now compete for Crown Court work. The grave consequences are now being felt in many ways, not least the reduction in the number of pupillages starting this autumn. 

Desmond Browne QC reports on a successful Commonwealth Law Conference 

The family Bar is at breaking point, warns Desmond Browne QC 

As the credit crunch bites deeper, calls to LawCare have naturally increased. Desmond Browne QC welcomes the launch of its new stress management service 

Desmond Browne QC welcomes the progress made on VHCCs, but notes the sombre news for publicly funded practitioners