Blogs/Articles

The problem with ambition is when we tie it to the wrong destination... something with which lawyers commonly struggle, says Helen Conway  

Are high achievers their own worst enemies when it comes to self-doubt? Nikki Alderson offers ten strategies to help you overcome imposter syndrome and achieve your goals 

Tim Collins explains how to make the cut and not be blunted  

As the pandemic’s influence on practice bites, Andrew Granville Stafford, Maria Scotland and Daniel ShenSmith outline the key requirements that apply to public access work, the direct-client experience and advice on effective marketing 

For those contemplating the move to sole practitioner: Steven Gasztowicz QC  and Susan Jones  outline the key considerations when re-orientating your practice

All relationships take work, not least those between chambers and solicitors. Danny Chapman  shares some practice-enhancing tips (and food for thought for your next practice review) for new business generation and client retention

How the more enterprising barristers are promoting themselves; a five-pronged plan 

By Atalanta Goulandris  

If you are at a career crossroads and do not know what to do next – try a secondment. More than a detour, it can help you diversify, balance work/life and gain long-term clients 

By Sunyana Sharma  

A revolving door in the best sense, moving between the self-employed and employed Bar is relatively easy: for those considering leaving the profession, a taste of the in-house life may give cause for thought 

By Anthony Eskander  

There are two particular traits that judicial applicants can display repeatedly, and these can lead to inaccurate self-assessment. For those ready to be brutally honest with themselves, Manjula Bray sets out a five-step strategy to help plan for success 

Lucy Barbet's top tips on how to plan, communicate and execute a career break, and get your practice up and running again quickly 

Unvarnished advice from four recent and atypical judicial appointees: HHJ Madeleine Reardon, HHJ Fayyaz Afzal OBE, Tribunal Judge Michelle Brewer and Mrs Justice Eady talk to Rehna Azim about why they took the plunge, retention and diversity challenges at Bar and Bench, and what they thought of the application experience 

From a jobbing criminal hack to a silk, Recorder and Bencher in four years – Kama Melly QC reflects on how it happened and the measurement of career success at the Bar 

The plumage and ceremony delights some and appals others, yet its professional significance is inescapable; Chris Henley QC (successful in round three) riffs on the award and how to get it 

Unpaid fees? Give some thought to your contractual status and when to use the ‘nuclear option’, writes Adrian Vincent 

Paul Secher explains how to enhance your chances of appointment 

The cost of employing the staff team is often the largest single element of expenditure for a set of chambers. Are your set’s employees ‘fully engaged’ or are they simply ‘coming to work’? asks Catherine Calder 

Learn the art of saying no without burning bridges or stemming the flow of instructions. By Nikki Alderson 

It’s an increasingly popular method of appointing counsel, so how will you answer the call to tender and establish yourself as the irresistible choice? Douglas McPherson explains 

Feeling sluggish in the practice department? Dust off your profile and learn how to stand out from the crowd with this refresher guide. By Deborah Bryan 

Enthusiastically embraced by the young Bar for some years, now those more established in their careers are responding to opportunities the employed Bar can offer. Where to start? Here’s a practical guide to help you navigate the process by Sara George 

What is it that brilliant influencers do to get people on their side? Try adopting techniques from the world of sales to read client personalities, influence decisions and get more – and better – briefs. By Gavin Presman 

Take control of your practice and create that competitive edge: Nick Luckman explains how to position your specialist skills in the market 

Sign up, nail those competencies and rise to the challenge: John Kimbell QC and Brie Hoare-Stevens QC have advice for first-time applicants to the judiciary 

Relocating to legally fused Bermuda was one of the best decisions Alex Potts QC has ever made. Eleven years – and one successful offshore QC application – on, Alex shares a typical day in paradise 

Judicial assistants get to work on some of the most interesting issues coming through the courts and study what makes a good barrister. Joel Semakula shares a typical day 

Kim Hollis QC thought her first year as DPP for the British Virgin Islands would be an adventure, but Hurricanes Irma and Maria swept away not only her house, but the Islands’ prisons and entire criminal justice system 

Power shift? Grania Langdon-Down investigates the changing nature of legal relations as competition, scale of litigation, legal aid cuts and growth of in-house advocates affect how cases are run