Melissa Coutinho

The theme of this year’s Employed Bar Conference was regulation. Melissa Coutinho takes a look.

The recent Employed Bar Conference (EBC) was particularly successful this time, according to the feedback from those who attended. That the weather was good, the subject matter topical, speakers varied and the venue, the plush offices of Stephenson Harwood LLP, could not have hurt. The title of the conference: “Regulation: carrot or stick, here to stay” was designed to cover as many practice areas as possible, to reflect the diversity of the Employed Bar. Everyone agreed that at least some of the programme was particularly pertinent to them, but as usual, areas that were unfamiliar to many in their professional lives, nonetheless stimulated interest.

Melissa Coutinho, co-Chair of the Employed Bar, reports back to Counsel from the 2012 conference.

A gloriously and unseasonably hot March 21st this year, saw barristers hurrying across Lincoln’s Inn Fields with envious backward glances at those sunbathing and enjoying an al fresco lunch seemingly without a care in the world. They were heading towards the Employed Bar’s Annual Conference. This year’s theme was “A week in the life of an Employed Barrister,” which was chosen to demonstrate that there is no typical week for such a soul. It focused on the breadth of work and variety of working arrangements that employed barristers enjoy, within the parameters permitted by our Code of Conduct.

Regulatory practitioners and those who favour complementary health therapy should be aware of changes in the practice of herbal medicine, writes Melissa Coutinho.

There cannot be many of us who, despite spam filters, have not been exhorted on a regular basis to purchase a medicinal product that has promised to change our lives. Depending upon whether one wants to improve one’s performance professionally, physically or socially, there appears to be a product marketed directly for such a purpose.

A seasoned troupe of actors performed two radio plays, Rumpole on Trial and Rumpole and the Right to Privacy, for this year’s Kalisher Scholarship fundraising event, writes Melissa Coutinho.

Sunday, 15 May 2011 was a beautiful balmy evening that saw Middle Temple host what has become an annual Kalisher Scholarship fundraising event. We were entertained by a seasoned troupe of actors, some of whom had generously given their time at previous events: Martin Shaw, Maggie Steed, Philip Franks, Patricia Hodge, Anthony Howell, Maxine Peake (fresh from Silk), Duncan Bell, Daniel Hill, Tim Frances, Nicholas Le Prevost and Mark Farrelly.

The Employed Barristers’ Committee represents the interests of the Employed Bar. Major David Hammond, Royal Marines, highlights the breadth of roles carried out by employed barristers.

The Employed Barristers’ Committee (“EBC”) represents the interests of employed barristers from all sectors within the legal community in a fair, unbiased and collegiate manner. It has worked steadily – invariably out of plain sight and often without the knowledge of its existence by the very barristers it represents – to discreetly raise profile, support activities and promote opportunities for members of the Employed Bar.

Melissa Coutinho reports on the Employed Bar Conference.

Hogarth’s painting of St Paul’s impassioned plea before Felix in the Old Hall at Lincoln’s Inn provided a fitting backdrop to the Employed Bar Conference on 21 July entitled “One Bar – thriving by Unity.”

Flexible working—hardly revolutionary, but underused at the Bar—is the answer to female retention. But it must be adequately rewarded, writes Melissa Coutino.