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Monday Message – 16.10.23

Sustaining the Criminal Bar

We need advocates who have the intellect and drive to be the best in our criminal courts and we have sets of Chambers that provide the most effective one-to-one training possible.  Criminal Pupillage is not just following a criminal barrister around for 6 months but real world training in the application of the criminal law, achieving high standards of advocacy, the operation of ethics and much more.  We all remember our time in Pupillage and the generosity of our Supervisors and mentors in developing our knowledge and skills.  We salute all Pupillage Supervisors who provide such dedicated training and supervision and encourage those who could take on this important role to contact their Inns to enroll.

Bar Council Pupillage Fair 2023

The Bar Council Pupillage Fair was an exciting place to be this Saturday, full of enthusiastic students speaking to criminal barristers from many sets of Chambers providing them with valuable guidance.  Well done to all the Criminal sets and their barristers for attending in greater numbers than in recent years and to the Bar Council and their staff who looked after everyone.  The brightest and the best continue to want to come so we must provide more pupillages dedicated to criminal practice.

Bringing [Dis] Ability to the Bar – Mini Pupillage Scheme

With the aim of providing disabled aspiring barristers with an insight into life at the Bar and guidance in the pursuit of a career as a barrister, this Scheme has been set up by and for disabled aspiring barristers.  Our own Mary Prior KC is due to be a Trustee.  For more information please see www.bdabar.org or email: [email protected].

Thank You

We would particularly like to thank Grace Ong, Chair of our Social Mobility Committee together with panelists: Deanna Heer KC, Paramjit Ahluwalia and Clara Sibanda for providing an excellent Seminar on their routes to the Bar as well as scholarship advice on Wednesday 11th October.  Grace again was in charge of the CBA stand on Saturday which was a hive of activity.  I want to personally thank each of the barristers that gave up their time for the CBA, on their feet all day guiding future members of our profession.  Thank you also to Aaron Dolan for putting all the arrangements in place and ensuring our stand was well-stocked!

Criminal Justice Matters

The next in our series of podcasts is available continuing our theme of interviews of senior criminal barristers.  This episode sees interviews with Laurie-Anne Power KC and Jaime Hamilton KC with previous interviews of Jeremy Dein KC and Nina Grahame KC still available.

AGM

One for the diary – please attend our AGM on 1st November 2023 at 18.15hrs via remote link.  The link will be circulated on the day of the AGM and those who wish to attend are asked to email Aaron to confirm your attendance to: [email protected].  The CBA Constitution has been reviewed and revised and to reflect changes the Association has undergone following the pandemic and days of action.  Thank you to Caroline Haughey KC and Eleanor Mawrey for their work on this.  You can read the proposed revised Constitution on our website shortly.

Rest assured that fees, including those in the Magistrates’ Court, Listing and court condition issues, the RASSO Consultation and CPS engagement are all being attended to and I shall report back to you in my next message.

I can be contacted on [email protected].

The CBA team wish you all well with your endeavours over the coming fortnight.

Be excellent as always!

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