The Bar Standard Board has announced an increase in the minimum funding for pupil barristers.
The new minimum wage for pupils will be set at £12,000 as of September 2011 - up from the current £10,000.
Other BSB plans include the Bar Vocational Course being replaced by the Bar Professional Training Course this autumn.
Legalgirl
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A leading barrister has criticised Tory plans to change the law on the level of force householders can use against intruders.
The Tory party want to change the original rule that allows the use of 'reasonable force' in self defence and change it to only prosecuting those who use 'grossly disproportionate violence' against intruders.
A debate between the Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling and Michael Wolkind QC,on these proposals, can be viewed here.
The 2010 Pupillage Fair will be taking place at Lincoln’s Inn, London on Saturday 6 March between 10.30 am and 3.00 pm.
The event is now in its 12th year and is the only national event for students to gain a valuable insight into life at the Bar.
It is recommended, to save time on the day, to pre-register online at:
http://targetpupillagefair.co.uk
Note: If anyone would like to write and article or blog about their experiences on the day then leave a comment on this post and one of the legalgirl team will get back to you.
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You've completed 12 qualifying sessions at your Inn, successfully passed the BVC and been called to the Bar but, without a pupillage, what are you? A barrister?
I had this exact problem, I'd completed the BVC, was call to the Bar and was now deemed a barrister. However trying to explain to family, friends or employers that I am a barrister, but can't stand up in court and do the arguing and representation bit, was more than a little confusing.
However help was at hand, the Bar council has issued guidance on this problem which can be found here
In a nutshell, the whole contention on what you can/choose to call yourself appears to rest on whether you intend to supply 'legal services'. Note: That the term "legal services" includes providing legal advice, representation and drafting legal documents.
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Due to the large amount of spam this site has recieved over the past couple of months I have been forced to change the comment settings.
From now on all comments will have to be reviewed before they are posted onto the site. This means that comments will not automatically appear once they have been submitted but will appear once they have been approved.
However if you are a regular commentor and I have approved you three or four times the system will start to autoprove you and your comments will appear immedialty after being submitted.
I am very sad that this is the way things have turned out but sadly it's always the minority that spoils it for the majority.
Legalgirl.
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I was doing a bit of research on the Bar Council Website and came across this PC type question and found the answer a little surprising.
Q. My clerk has accepted a brief for me to appear in court at a time when I am booked to be on holiday. Can I return the brief?
A. Not without the consent of your instructing solicitor. Paragraph 506(c) of the Code of Conduct states that you must not return a brief which you have accepted and for which a fixed date has been obtained or break any other professional engagement so as to enable you to attend a social or non-professional engagement. You may, of course, discuss with your instructing solicitor the possibility of him instructing somebody else.
Now it appears to me, given the above answer, that a barrister can be deemed to have 'accepted' a brief if his clerk, rightly or wrongly, accepts it on his behalf.
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when you visit the many courts and magistrate buildings in London it is very easy to be blind to their beauty and to forget how magnificent and stunning these buildings actually are.
Yes these buildings are 'important' because of the work that goes on within them but the craftsmanship and architectural design makes these structures much more than just legal buildings instead they are works of art that are taken very much for granted.
So on that note here are some random photos of courts and well known legal buildings.
Enjoy
Legalgirl.
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As you may know you can now sign up to receive newsletters, by email, of all updates on Legalgirl.
However if emails or newsletters aren’t your thing, then why not follow us on twitter?
Every time a new article or blog is published it will be posted on our twitter account at
http://twitter.com/legalgirluk.
Legalgirl
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There has been a recent development/confirmation regarding the burden of proof in cases involving asbo breaches.
The Law
S.1(10) Crime and Disorder Act 1999 makes it a criminal offence to breach an ASBO, it states:
"If without reasonable excuse a person does anything which he is prohibited from doing by an Anti Social Behaviour Order, he is guilty of an offence."
Apparently there was uncertainty as to who bore the legal burden, the Crown or the defence, of proving whether a defendant acted 'without reasonable excuse'.
Case Law
An earlier ruling in January 2009 held that the legal burden was on the defence.
However in R v Charles [2009] EWCA Crim 1570 the court held: "...The burden of disproving reasonable excuse rests on the Crown where the defendant has raised the issue on the evidence before the court. The Act is perfectly workable on the basis that it imposes only an evidential burden on the defendant, but leaves the legal burden on the Crown."
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With the BVC end in sight it is vital to still keep up to date with the legal system and its developments. This is where Legalgirl’s ‘News Aggregator’ can help.
The News Aggregator takes news from many law related websites and puts them in one lsit on one page.
To find out more visit:
http://www.legalgirl.co.uk/node/48
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