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27 November 2015 / Alistair MacDonald KC
Issue: 7678 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Positive thinking

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Alistair MacDonald QC reviews the highlights of life at the Bar in 2015

As the year nears its end and with it my tenure as chairman of the Bar it is, perhaps, a good time to look back on some of the more positive aspects for the Bar of 2015.

We can’t ignore the ongoing challenges the Bar and our justice system continue to face, including the impact of legal aid cuts, increased court fees and the risk to legal professional privilege (LPP) under the Draft Investigatory Power Bill, to mention a few.

However, while much of the Bar Council’s efforts are focused on dealing with these issues, there have been highlights for the Bar in 2015 which are reminders of the important role the Bar continues to play in society.

Advocacy consultation

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), headed up by a new Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Michael Gove, published what I believe to be one of the most important consultations for the Bar and the wider advocacy community of our time, Preserving and Enhancing the Quality of Criminal Advocacy

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth

NEWS
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NLJ this week: No such thing as a ‘Welsh seat’
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
NLJ this week: Jury reform risks justice for efficiency’s sake
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
NLJ this week: Crypto fightback offers ‘new frontier for law’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
NLJ this week: Time to revive the duty to report crime?
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
NLJ this week: When are experts truly ‘necessary’?
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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