Human Rights

The Government’s DNA sample retention policy is being reviewed following S and Marper v UK, in which the European Court of Human Rights ruled that retaining samples from innocent people was incompatible with the right to a private life. 

Suella Fernandes and Philip Riches packed their wigs and gowns and joined a team of volunteer lawyers helping to regenerate Rwanda’s legal system.  

The tragedy of the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has been well documented in film and literature and travelling through the beautiful rolling hills of the country, “les Milles Collines”, it is hard to ignore the constant reminders provided by the victim memorial sites. 

A delegation from the Bar Council and Law Society, led by Adrian Hughes QC and Neil Sampson, Co-chairs of the joint China Law Council undertook a successful visit to Chongqing, Tianjin and Beijing from 16-21 November 2008. The visit built on the longstanding relationship that has already been developed between the legal professions in China and the UK. It also sought to raise the profile of UK legal services, and the Bar in particular, in the thriving economic centers of Tianjin and Chongqing, increase our understanding of the local market and facilitate networking with local lawyers and law firms. 

One-day seminars were held in Tianjin and Chongqing in conjunction with the local bar associations. The morning seminars, given by Stephen Hockman QC and Gordon Wignall, as well as solicitors colleagues, focused on various aspects of UK and European environmental law. In the afternoons, Adrian Hughes QC and Philip Riches led seminars on international arbitration, the services the bar can offer Chinese clients, and how to identify and instruct a suitable barrister. All the seminars were very well attended (c. 100), followed by lively discussion. The local bar associations were most welcoming and links with these important interlocutors were deepened.