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Weekly Round Up 11.05.12

CBA News

Chairman’s Update:

The national Heads of Chambers meeting took place last night. At least 100 were in attendance or on the line. I hope that all who wanted to were able to participate. I place the highest importance on the connection between the CBA and the HoCs and am very grateful for their continued guidance and wisdom. Having met twice annually during my term, I am confident that Michael Turner will continue in the same fashion.

We considered the results of the CBA Survey. Specifically, and taking our lead from 87% of respondents, we resolved to continue our principled stand against Plea only Advocates having any place within QASA. We also agreed upon the need to do far more to encourage the judiciary to support us in our fight to maintain proper standards in court as well as the survival of an independent criminal Bar. Further, we agreed that One Case One Fee, delayed by the government but by no means forgotten, is the issue upon which the criminal Bar will take direct action if the government resumes it’s course. 92% of Survey respondents oppose OCOF. 89% of respondents are willing to take direct lawful action. We are listening to what you say.

I intend to set out our general strategy in my speech to the CBA Dinner next week, 18th May. I hope you will be there. Our Administrator Aaron Dolan will deal with late applications for any remaining dinner places when he returns from leave on Tuesday.

To any who say that the criminal Bar cannot persuade the general public of the importance and relevance of the Bar – and of Queens Counsel – why not watch last night’s One Show HERE . The relevant film starts about 11 minutes in to the programme. Who says our battles are consigned to the murky inside pages of one or two newspapers?

Have a good weekend.

 

Health Support and Advice for the Bar – Law Care:

LawCare provides an independent and confidential service which assists members of the Law Societies of England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland and the Isle of Man; the Institute of Legal Executives; the Bar Councils of England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland; the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland; the Department of Justice; the Institute of Barristers Clerks; and the National Association of Paralegals. This is a confidential advisory service to help lawyers, their immediate families and their support staff to deal with the health issues and related emotional difficulties that can result from a stressful career as a lawyer, or working with lawyers. LawCare is there to support and assist you, too.

LawCare offers you the opportunity to discuss problems that are interfering with, or have the potential to interfere with, your work performance and / or your family life and to seek to help in resolving these problems.
Through LawCare, help is available to those who are suffering from stress and /or depression, or who have alcohol, drug or other dependency concerns, or eating disorders.

There is a helpline which is open 365 days a year:
9am – 7.30pm, Monday to Friday
10am – 4pm Saturday, Sunday and UK Bank Holidays
0800 018 4299

Further details can be found on the website here

 

Follow the chairman on twitter

https://twitter.com/#!/TheCriminalBar

 

Special offer from Oxford University Press – Save 20% on select Criminal Law Titles

More information and a list of titles can be found here

 

CBA Events:

CBA Annual Dinner

Friday 18th May 2012
Middle Temple Hall, Middle Temple, London
Guest Speaker – The Hon Mr Justice Calvert-Smith

For further information and to book please contact Aaron Dolan

 

CBA Conference

Conviction and Beyond

Saturday 26th May 2012

All day Saturday event (venue to be confirmed) which will include speakers from the Judiciary, Academia and Court of Appeal.
The event will focus on post-conviction matters including (a) recent developments in sentencing (b) confiscation (c) ancillary orders, including Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (d) Sentencing Guidelines (e) A practical guide to the process for Attorney General references and (f) sentencing issues in the Magistrate’s Court

Further details will be circulated and posted to the website next week.

CPD – 6 Expected

 

2012 Kalisher Scholarship Trust Event

The 2012 Kalisher Scholarship Trust event will be a staged reading of two Agatha Christie plays, ‘Butter in a Lordly Dish’ and ‘Personal Call’. Those hoping to participate include Martin Shaw, Felicity Kendal, Maxine Peake, Ray Fearon, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Farrelly, and will be performed thanks to the generosity of Agatha Christie’s estate and Bill Kenwright Ltd. Set in the world of the 1950s, the plays will be fully miked and promise an evening of laughter, legal intrigue and murder mystery.

The event will be held in Middle Temple Hall, at 6.30pm on Sunday 20th May. Tickets cost £50, and are available now from Middle Temple (0207 427 4800).
All proceeds from the event go toward scholarships for talented students who, without the support provided by the Trust, would be unable to reach the Criminal Bar.

For more information about the Kalisher Scholarship Trust, please go to www.thekalishertrust.org

 

Half a Century of Crime: A Valedictory Summing Up

A lecture by the Right Honourable Lord Justice Hooper
Inner Temple Hall
Monday 18 June 2012 – 6.30pm
Followed by a Drinks a Reception
The CBA have been allocated 50 places in total to attend the lecture.

If you wish to take this very kind offer up, please be sure that you are able to make the lecture and then book with me, I will then pass the details to the Inn.

Further information can be found here

 

Other News:

Criminal Law Week – updates (issue 18)

Key updates from this week’s issue of Criminal Law Week:

Precedent

Whether a lower court is bound by the obiter dicta of a higher court: Sayce v. T.N.T. (U.K.) Ltd, C.A. (Civ. Div.).

Detention and forfeiture of cash

Whether a court must be satisfied that the authorities had reasonable grounds for suspicion when detaining cash, before it grants an application for forfeiture of cash under section 298 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: Secretary of State v. Tuncel, Q.B.D.

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 

New commencement order brings various provisions into force on May 9, and July 1 and 10, including provisions on regulation of surveillance, powers of entry and counter-terrorism powers: S.I. 2012 No. 1205.

Voyeurism

Court of Appeal gives guidance on the ingredients of the offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.67: R. v. Burke.

 

The international professional and legal development grant programme

Apply now for 18 May deadline

The Criminal Bar Association, Commercial Bar Association, Family Law Bar Association, London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association, Personal Injury Bar Association and Technology and Construction Bar Association together with the Bar Council Scholarships Trust, fund the 2012 grant programme. Now in its fourth year, the programme offers members of these specialist bar associations that are 7 years call or less and in practice, financial assistance to participate in international legal events and conferences of their choice. The event must contribute to their professional development and legal practice and take place this year.

The cost of participating in such events is shared equally between the applicant, his or her SBA and the Trust. The grant programme thereby funds up to two thirds of the cost of participating in an international legal event.

The next deadline for applications to the grant programme is 17:00 on 18 Maywith another application deadline on 28 September.

For more information and directions on how to apply for the programme please visit the Bar Council website or see the attached documents. Any queries as to the application process and administration of the programme should be directed to Sarah Richardson [email protected].

 

International News & Events

For the latest update and further information from Advocates for International Development click here

 

Other Events:

South Eastern Circuit Bar Mess Foundation Advanced International Advocacy Course

(Bank holiday) Monday 27 August until Saturday 1 September

Keble College, Oxford

The aim of the South Eastern Circuit Bar Mess Foundation Advanced International Advocacy Course at Keble College, Oxford course, is to encourage and develop the highest standards of advocacy amongst practitioners. The course is the most demanding and intensive of any advocacy course in the UK, and was described by a former presiding judge of the Circuit as the “Best Advanced Course in the UK”

The application form is now available to download:

The Inns of Court are each offering funding for up to five of their members towards the cost of attending the Keble Advanced Advocacy Course. The deadline for applications for the scholarships has been extended to 25 May 2012 and for further details, please click here.

 

South Eastern Circuit Florida Criminal Law Advocacy course

The South Eastern Circuit seeks a Silk with a criminal practice to attend the South Eastern Circuit Florida Criminal Law Advocacy course, held at the University of Florida, Gainesville, from Sunday 5 August to Friday 10 August 2012. The successful applicant is expected to take part in advocacy exercises, to provide feedback to participants and, he or she will demonstrate qualities marking him or her out as an appropriate ambassador of our profession. The course fees, accommodation and flights are funded by the Florida Bar Association. Successful candidates will be expected to travel to Gainesville in time to attend the course on 5 August 2012 and if you would like further details, please click here.

 

The Health & Safety Lawyers Association

Manchester Event – 3 presentations – each approximately 30 minutes, Followed by drinks reception
DWF LLP, 1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AA
Tuesday 8th May 2012

Further information can be found here

 

Children in the Criminal Justice System: What next?

Wednesday 16 May 2012, 6pm – 7.30pm
Doughty Street Chambers, 54 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS

Further information can be found here

 

The 5th ICAC Symposium – Registration

Fighting Corruption in a Changing World
May 2012
Hong Kong

Further details can be found here

 

An Evening of Sacred Music

Temple Church
Wednesday 30th May 2012
7pm
Tickets £25

You can buy tickets by emailing [email protected] or through Temple Church box office: www.templemusic.org

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