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20 May 2021 Home affairs

Access to justice is central to a fair society. Government must recognise the value of legal aid

Without help to navigate the justice system, many disadvantaged people will be prevented from enforcing their rights.

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13 May 2021 Home affairs

We must explore options to criminalise the purchase of sex, sending the message that exploitation will not be tolerated.

Why we must turn our attention to the justice emergency

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13 May 2021 Home affairs

Why we must turn our attention to the justice emergency

As the country emerges from a year of lockdowns, the criminal justice system is feeling the strain. We met up with Derek Sweeting QC, Chair of the Bar Council, to find out more about how COVID has impacted on the criminal justice system, and to discuss how justice can build back better.

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11 May 2021 Home affairs

Plans to ‘restore balance of power’ lacking evidence, say barristers

The Bar Council has issued its response to today's Queen's Speech.

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30 Apr 2021 Economy

Proposals to allow electronic documents would revolutionise trade

The Law Commission has announced a consultation on proposals to allow for the legal recognition of electronic versions of documents such as bills of lading and bills of exchange.

26 Mar 2021 Brexit

Britain will lose significant access to EU security data due to Brexit deal

The greatest impact on our security comes from losing access to the Schengen information System, for swapping alerts on the movement of criminals and missing persons.

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24 Mar 2021 Home affairs

Law Commission consultation on 14th Programme of Law Reform now open

The Law Commission has today launched a consultation for our 14th Programme of law reform. The responses we receive from the public will shape a great deal of the of the work of the Commission for the next few years. We are asking for your help to identify areas of the substantive law of England and Wales that need reform, and to prioritise those reforms.

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03 Mar 2021 Economy

Bar Council Budget reaction: The Chancellor has turned a blind eye to law and order

It is disappointing to see no extra funding emerging from the Treasury in today’s Budget announcement.

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01 Mar 2021 Home affairs

Covid-19, rights and freedoms – Justice Week 2021

The time is right for a vital health check on our rights, our justice system and ultimately on the rule of law, the Bar Council, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) and the Law Society of England and Wales said, as they mark the launch of Justice Week (1 to 5 March) with the United Kingdom still locked-down in the Covid-19 pandemic.

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26 Feb 2021 Home affairs

Reforms to laws around intimate image abuse proposed to better protect victims

Proposals to improve protections for victims whose intimate images are taken or shared without their consent have today been published by the Law Commission of England and Wales.

Millions of UK consumers could be about to hold a billion-dollar tech giant to account. Here’s how

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25 Feb 2021 Economy

Millions of UK consumers could be about to hold a billion-dollar tech giant to account. Here’s how

Which? is bringing a landmark claim against tech giant Qualcomm not only so consumers can get their money back, but to send a message to big companies that manipulative practices and abuse of power is unacceptable

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04 Feb 2021 Coronavirus

Bar Council warns of "pandemic gap" caused by drop in pupillages

Responding to new figures from the Bar Standards Board which show a 35% decline in pupillage registrations in 2020, Chair of the Bar Council, Derek Sweeting QC, said:

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29 Jan 2021 Home affairs

Change on diversity cannot come soon enough, says Bar Council

Responding to the BSB’s Diversity at the Bar report, Chair of the Bar Council, Derek Sweeting QC said:

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18 Dec 2020 Home affairs

Comprehensive regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles proposed to Government

The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission (the Law Commissions) have today announced landmark proposals that will seek to ensure the safety of self-driving vehicles via a comprehensive new legal framework.

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17 Dec 2020 Coronavirus

Today's criminal court backlog statistics show justice system in poor health

Responding to the criminal court statistics quarterly for July to September 2020, which have been published today, Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said:

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17 Dec 2020 Home affairs

Law Commission seeks views on smart contracts

The Law Commission has today launched a call for evidence to help ensure that the technology of smart contracts can thrive in England and Wales.

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16 Dec 2020 Home affairs

Proposals to reform devolved Welsh tribunals would create unified tribunal system

Improvements to the fragmented and complicated tribunals system in Wales have today [16 December 2020] been proposed by the Law Commission. The proposals, which are now being consulted on, aim to sweep away complexity and help create a single system for tribunals in Wales.

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04 Dec 2020 Home affairs

Reform outdated offence of misconduct in public office, recommends Law Commission

Outdated and unclear laws governing misconduct in public office should be reformed, the Law Commission has announced today [4 December 2020]. The reforms would introduce two new statutory offences to replace the ancient common law offence, provide greater clarity, and target the most serious forms of misconduct in public office.

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24 Nov 2020 Home affairs

Mind the gap: Government urged not to let law and order slip through the cracks in levelling up plans

The Bar Council has urged the Government to regenerate areas of the Midlands and North by investing in the local court system and providing access to early legal advice for the most vulnerable, as it highlights regions where local law and order is particularly weak.

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11 Nov 2020 Home affairs

Law Commission says improvements are required to the way shares are held

Holding shares and other investments through intermediaries means investors do not really “own” their shares. This excludes them from shareholder rights and can lead to legal uncertainty, according to a scoping paper published by the Law Commission today.

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06 Nov 2020 Home affairs

Firework laws must be urgently reviewed

National Chair responds to attacks on police officers

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03 Nov 2020 Home affairs

Law Commission begins project on Corporate Criminal Liability

The Government has asked the Law Commission to investigate the laws around corporate criminal liability and provide options to reform them.

29 Oct 2020 Home affairs

Vacuous abuse from ministers on lawyers is more of the same dog whistle politics

It is not the vacuous political abuse from ministers that concerns me, but their wilful - or ignorant - neglect, motivated by fear of the mob.

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12 Oct 2020 Home affairs

Bar Council calls for public apology from Prime Minister and Home Secretary

Following reports over the weekend of a violent knife attack at a law firm in September, and following her letter to the Prime Minister regarding his recent anti-lawyer comments, Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar Council, which represent all barristers in England and Wales, said: