Bon Vivant

Surprise victories are perhaps not so surprising  

‘People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those which have come into the mind of others.’– Blaise Pascal, Pensées 

A Refreshers First XI would be a match for any decent club side, writes Philip Cayford QC. The only challenge is getting all your best players on to the same pitch on the same day...  

The Refreshers were founded in 1935, and hence celebrated their 80th birthday last year.  

Frank Hinks QC talks to Melissa Coutinho about his dual career as a silk at Serle Court and a prolific writer/illustrator  

Since childhood, I wanted to be both a barrister and a writer.  

David Smith previews an upcoming charity music gala  

Music at the Bar is thriving.  

When the desire to know becomes the desire to nose  

‘I believe in transparency’ – Hillary Clinton 

BEWCC’s James Cartwright delivers the match report from Brisbane and heralds the revival of the historic Bar v Clerks game  

A person glimpsing 17 English (and Welsh) barristers in Brisbane might have thought that some sort of conference might be taking place, but a moment’s eavesdropping, or observation (the kit), would have left no doubt but that their transportation to Australia was for the purpose of playing cricket for the Bar in the fifth Lawyers Cricket World Cup. 

'Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans' – John Lennon  

In which we learn what really matters 

As well as being a barrister, remember you are an unpaid tax collector, says Tony Reynolds, who advises best financial practice from the start of your legal career  

HMRC has for some years targeted its compliance activity across a range of professions.  

‘Men don’t get knocked out, or I mean they can fight back against big things. What kills them is erosion; they get nudged into failure. They get slowly scared.’ – John Steinbeck  

The fees’ battle can be lost by time alone 

By: Mary Banham-Hall
Publisher: Focus Mediation, February 2016
320pp Paperback: £8.95
ISBN: 9780993517600