Finalising an organisational strategy can sometimes be a bit like pulling teeth, but I am lucky not to be in that position. I am supported by a detail-oriented and future-focused Board and staff team, and together with the support of the Bar the strategy writes itself. I am also alive to the pressures the Bar faces. Our future strategy demonstrates that the Unit understands and supports how the profession operates by taking advantage of the obvious opportunities within the access to justice sector to add value to barristers’ career growth and development. This is a significant period of change for the Unit: watch this space to see the details go live!

Following implementation of software funded by the Legal Education Foundation and the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists we now send volunteer barristers a weekly list of cases which exactly match their level of expertise, legal specialism and location, making it incredibly easy to find a pro bono case needing their help. Your response so far indicates that this works better for you, so if you are a panel member and have not yet updated your preferences please find our recent email and do so now!

Pro Bono Champions

We were delighted to see so many Pro Bono Champions at our special launch event at Child & Co, our corporate partner, on 14 June. These chambers representatives, listed below, will liaise closely with the Unit to champion and celebrate the pro bono work you do.

To nominate your chambers Pro Bono Champion, please contact Mary Dobson at: mdobson@barprobono.org.uk

Nine new Bar Pro Bono Award categories

The Bar Pro Bono Award started the same year as the Unit, in 1996. Since then pro bono has developed, broadened and grown, and it is increasingly difficult to choose one winner from a set of nominees clearly working in different areas. We are therefore delighted (if only for our judging panel’s sake!) to announce the introduction of nine separate categories for which nominations will be accepted in future.

The new categories are:

  • Pro Bono Young Barrister of the Year
  • Pro Bono Junior Barrister of the Year
  • Pro Bono QC of the Year
  • Pro Bono International Barrister of the Year
  • Pro Bono Employed Barrister of the Year
  • Pro Bono Clerk/Staff Member of the Year
  • Pro Bono Innovation of the Year
  • Pro Bono Chambers of the Year
  • Lifetime Achievement in Pro Bono

The expansion of the awards criteria signifies the Bar’s enduring commitment to pro bono work and we are pleased that it will allow a greater variety of professionals throughout the legal sector to receive recognition for their dedication to access to justice. Thank you to the Bar Council for its ongoing support of the Bar Pro Bono Awards.

Nominations are now open, so please look out for the announcement in BarTalk!

Calling all cyclists to the Legal Wheel Appeal 

A few years ago you may remember I rode from Newcastle to London as part of the Unit’s 20th anniversary celebrations. Since then I have met so many cyclists at the Bar and in clerks rooms and at the judiciary. As a result, this September, so we can show our love for you, the Unit has joined forces with Classic Challenge to plan a romantic ride: The Legal Wheel Appeal, a London to Paris cycle ride raising funds for the Unit. Taking place over four days from 21-24 September, the challenge consists of 186 miles along a scenic route through historic towns and villages with a spectacular finish at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. There’s even time for a day to explore Paris. Meals, accommodation and transport to and from France are all included. The cycle is accompanied by experienced guides and
medical staff. We are very excited about this challenge to fundraise for the truly vulnerable people we all aim to help and we hope to see
as many of you as possible on your bikes, pedalling for access to justice. See tinyurl.com/legalwheel or email Bea Crayford at:  communications@barprobono.org.uk.

Introducing our new Pro bono champions:

1 Crown Office Row: Richard Smith, Barrister

11 South Square: Jacqueline Reid, Barrister

11 KBW: Jane McCafferty, Barrister

12 King’s Bench Walk: Matilda Hawes, Marketing and Events Manager and Max Archer, Barrister

12 Old Square: Spencer Payne, Senior Clerk

20 Essex Street: Arron Zitver, Practice Director and Henry Byam-Cook, Barrister

3 Dr Johnson’s Buildings: Philip Squire, Barrister

3 Hare Court: Sara Ibrahim, Barrister

3 Verulam Buildings: Anthony Pavlovich, Barrister

36 Group: Miriam Carrion Benitez, Barrister

39 Essex Chambers: Jamie Tucker, Assistant Practice Manager

4 New Square: Daniel Saoul, Barrister

4 Paper Buildings: Jane Rayson, Barrister

4 Pump Court: George Woods, Barrister

4 Stone Buildings: David Goddard, Senior Clerk

5 Essex Court: Samantha Leek QC, Barrister

5 King’s Bench Walk: William Davis, Barrister

5 Paper Buildings: Dale Jones, Senior Clerk and Graham Briggs, Clerk

5 Stone Buildings: Louisa Nye, Barrister

5RB: Karen Rock Monnick, Marketing Consultant

7 King’s Bench Walk: John Bignall, Barrister

7BR: Simon Rowbotham, Barrister

8 New Square: Isabel Jamal, Barrister

9 Park Place: Katherine Broadhurst, Barrister

9 Stone Buildings: Martin Young, Barrister

Arden Chambers: Justin Bates, Barrister

Blackstone Chambers: Tom Croxford QC, Barrister

Brick Court Chambers: Victoria Wakefield, Barrister

Carmelite Chambers: Sarah Day, Barrister

Charter Chambers: Darren Snow, Barrister

Cloisters: Adam Ohringer, Barrister

Cornerstone Barristers: Lisa Busch QC, Barrister

Crown Office Chambers: Andy Flanagan, Senior Clerk

Deans Court Chambers: Matt Gibbons, Senior Clerk

Dere Street Chambers: Sam Healy, Barrister

Devereux Chambers: Marika Lemos, Barrister

Doughty Street Chambers: Peter Carter QC, Barrister

Drystone Chambers: Alison Gurden, Barrister

Ely Place Chambers: David Mitchell, Ely Place

Enterprise Chambers: Edward Francis, Barrister

Erskine Chambers: Philip Gillyon, Barrister and Mark Swallow, Senior Clerk

Exchange Chambers: David Temkin, Barrister

Falcon Chambers: Adam Rosenthal, Barrister and Cecily Crampin, Barrister

Five St Andrew’s Hill: Dean Farlam, Senior Civil and Family Clerk

Francis Taylor Building: Meyric Lewis, Barrister

Garden Court Chambers: Mai-Ling Savage, Barrister

Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers: Chris Broom, Senior Clerk

Guildhall Chambers: Sophie Holme, Barrister

Hardwicke: Brie Stevens Hoare QC, Barrister

Keating Chambers: Declan Redmond, CEO/Director of Clerking

Landmark Chambers: Richard Bolton, Practice Manager and Carolyn Entwistle, HR & Administration Manager

Littleton Chambers: Benjamin Gray, Barrister

Matrix Chambers: Hugh Southey QC, Barrister

Monckton Chambers: Tarlochan Lall, Barrister

New Square Chambers: Mark Hubbard, Barrister

No5 Chambers: Tony McDaid, Chief Executive and Geoff Carr, Director of Clerking (London)

One Essex Court (Chambers of Lord A S Grabiner QC): Derek Spitz, Barrister

One Pump Court: Priya Solanki, Barrister

Outer Temple Chambers: Christine Kings, Chambers Director

Park Square Barristers: Kate Wilson, Barrister

Parklane Plowden: Adam Gould, Barrister

QEB Hollis Whiteman: Stacey Hunt, Chambers Manager

Quadrant Chambers: Matthew Reeve, Barrister

Queen Elizabeth Building: Catherine Cowton, Barrister

Radcliffe Chambers: Georgina Watts, Business Development Manager

Red Lion Chambers: Genevieve Reed, Barrister

Selborne Chambers: Stuart Hornett, Barrister

Serjeants’ Inn Chambers: Katie Gollop QC, Barrister

Serle Court: Matthew Morrison, Barrister

South Square: Toby Brown, Barrister

St Mary’s Family Law Chambers: Scott Baldwin, Senior Clerk

St Philips Chambers: Joe Wilson, Director of Clerking

Tanfield Chambers: Chris Maynard, Barrister

Temple Garden Chambers: Paul McGrath, Barrister

Three Stone: John McDonnell QC, Barrister

Wilberforce Chambers: Mark Rushton, Head Clerk

XXIV Old Buildings: Edward Cumming QC, Barrister and Timothy Sherwin, Barrister

Zenith Chambers: Marisa Allman, Barrister