Practice Toolset

David Hughes outlines the workings and the innovative approach of the Bar in Wales  

Wales is a place of contrasts; we are a country, not a ‘region’, and those of us who practise in Cardiff do so in one of two national capitals in England and Wales.  

Lucy Reed meets Philip Marshall QC, whose self-effacing Twitter profile belies the breadth and challenge of his task as Chair of the Family Law Bar Association  

I meet Philip Marshall QC in his chambers in King’s Bench Walk on a hot June day. 

Optimise performance and manage stress – John Hunter outlines the benefits of the Alexander Technique to the Bar  

The long association between F M Alexander (1869-1955) and the theatre dates back to the very origins of the Alexander Technique (AT).  

Perplexed over financial matters? The Young Bar Toolkit is here to help turn confusion to clarity, as the Young Barristers’ Committee explains in this two-part finance guide for the self-employed Bar  

In the early years of practice, barristers are on a steep learning curve in all respects.  

Weaknesses, observations and remedies – how to fix legal aid? A call for evidence from the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Council Chair Gary Bell QC  

On 28 January 2016, the Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove, abandoned plans to impose dual or two-tier contracts.  

Is the Bar doing enough to help protect barristers’ wellbeing? Grania Langdon-Down investigates the initiatives for change   

With the launch in May of a cross-profession taskforce to support mental health and wellbeing in the legal community, is the Bar doing enough to help protect barristers? 

Derek Wood CBE QC updates readers on the launch of the COIC’s new education initiative for the Bar – the Inns of Court College of Advocacy – which will expand on the ATC’s role as advocacy training provider and think tank  

On 13 June the Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) officially launches its new Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA).  

Have entities taken off as expected at the Bar? Scott Leonard and Michael Stacey consider the opportunities for practitioners and issues for chambers considering how to accommodate these new business models  

Much has been written about the opportunities presented to the Bar by entity regulation. When the Bar Standards Board (BSB) launched entity regulation in January 2015, it predicted over 400 entities would be authorised in the first year.  

From basic ID checks to enhanced due diligence when working with the ‘politically exposed’, Melanie Mylvaganam reminds barristers of their vulnerabilities to money laundering scams – and how to avoid becoming unwittingly complicit  

Money laundering reared its ugly head again in the wake of the ‘Panama Papers’ exposé.  

When will women barristers be allowed to compete on a level playing field with their male counterparts, without stereotypes intruding? As the Association of Women Barristers marks its 25th anniversary in June, co-chair Lisa Wilson reflects on progress and future direction  

‘Would you rather be a bitch or a bimbo?’ asked my criminal litigation tutor in Bar School, less than a decade ago. ‘As a woman entering the criminal Bar, those are your choices,’ he advised.