Weekly Round Up 10.08.12
Chairman’s Update:
The QASA consultation has now been running for one month. Please log in to the CBA website, read our draft consultation response HERE, and use the discussion forum we have provided to register your views HERE
We learned this week of the tragic death, on 2nd August, of Warren Grier, a member of the CBA and criminal practitioner in New Park Court Chambers, Newcastle. Warren was a well-known and well-liked figure in legal circles in the North East. Called in 1989, he was a magistrates’ court clerk for many years before coming to practice at the Bar, first in Old Court Chambers in Middlesbrough, latterly in Newcastle. He will be much missed by all who knew him. He leaves a widow, Vivienne, and a daughter, Ellie, and our heartfelt condolences go to them at this very difficult time.
Criminal Bar Association Bursary Fund 2012:
Applications are invited for awards from the Criminal Bar Association Bursary Fund.
Major Bursaries of up to £5,000 will be awarded to successful applicants. Other bursaries will include annual subscriptions to the leading practitioners’ textbooks.
The Bursary Fund is generously supported by leading legal publishers Thompson Reuters (Sweet and Maxwell) and Oxford University Press.
The award competition is open to members of the CBA who have been in independent practice for no more than 3 years from the start of pupillage. The fund is designed to assist those who are from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
Please complete the application form HERE and return it, together with a reference from the applicant’s Head of Chambers, to the CBA Administrator, Aaron Dolan [email protected] by 14th September 2012. The application form requires details of background and means together with a reference from the Applicant’s Head of Chambers (or pupil supervisor if a reference from the Head of Chambers is unavailable).
The assessment will be primarily means-tested; poor performance in school exams will therefore not be determinative but will assist the panel in assessing the applicant’s suitability.
The 8 most deserving applicants will be invited to compete in an advocacy exercise to be held in October, judged by the Chairman of the CBA. The bursary awards will be presented at the Old Bailey after the Ann Goddard Memorial Lecture on 13th November.
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:
CBA Events:
A Dinner in honour of Hooper LJ
Friday 28th September 2012
Stationers Hall, London
Online booking HERE
CBA Autumn Conference:
Experts
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Venue to be confirmed
Booking details to follow.
Old Bailey Lecture:
Work of the Sentencing Council
Tuesday 6th November 2012
The Old Bailey
Booking details to follow.
Old Bailey Lecture:
Research on Juries
Tuesday 4th December 2012
The Old Bailey
Booking details to follow.
The Kalisher Essay Competition 2012
The Criminal Bar Association Of England & Wales & The Kalisher Scholarship Trust Present:
The Kalisher Essay Competition 2012
1st Prize – £5,000 2nd Prize – £2,000
“Is there an imbalance in the extradition arrangements between the UK and US? If so, how might the rights of UK citizens be better protected?”
Entry Conditions
- Maximum word length is 2,000 words on above topic (exc. reasonable footnotes)
- Prize is open to all pupils in criminal sets in England and Wales
- Pupils must be sponsored by their chambers to enter at a cost of £100 per pupil with no limit on entries.
- Cheques to be made out to the Kalisher Scholarship
- Chambers must indicate an intention to compete for the prize and provide sponsorship by Friday 29th July
- Essays (showing an alias) must be sent electronically to the Secretary by 1600 Friday 6thAugust
- Prizes will be awarded by this year’s speaker at the Kalisher Lecture in October
All enquiries regarding entry to be made to:
Max Hardy
Secretary to the Kalisher Scholarship
Email: [email protected]
Other News:
Criminal Law Week – updates (issue 31)
Key updates from this week’s issue of Criminal Law Week:
Discount for assistance to prosecuting authorities – circumstances in which it is appropriate to reduce the discount: R. v. Hood, C.A. (CLW/12/31/2).
Confiscation order – whether rent received by a landlord convicted of owning a rented property in a selective licensing area without a licence (Housing Act 2004, s.95(1)) constituted “benefit” for the purposes of Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: R. v. Sumal & Sons (Properties) Ltd, C.A. (CLW/12/31/3).
Custody time limits – further guidance as to when there will be “good and sufficient cause” to extend a time limit: R. (Raeside) v. Luton Crown Court, C.A. (CLW/12/31/1).
Sexual offences – revised requirements as to the information to be contained in various orders under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003: S.I. 2012 No. 2018 (CLW/12/31/7).
Biometrics Commissioner
The Home Office is seeking to appoint a Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material. This is a new and part time role, reporting to the Home Secretary, that will involve taking independent decisions on police requests to retain biometric data in the interests of national security. For further information please visit www.veredus.co.uk quoting reference number 13836, or call Richard Heeks on 020 7932 4258. Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 24th August 2012.
International News & Events
For the latest upcoming international Events and opportunities click here
What makes a good witness? Presenting evidence in the courtroom.
Visually-recorded evidence in chief is thought to produce the most comprehensive and accurate record of the interview process and be best evidence. But is this really the case? We are currently conducting a research project examining views from criminal justice professionals regarding the issue of the medium in which evidence in chief is presented. A topic that has driven interesting debate nationally. The research concerns three inter-related areas; (i) your views regarding your perceptions of witness testimony and certain terms that are often used when determining its credence, (ii) your views on the way the police gather information and how this impacts on witness evidence in chief, and (iii) your perceptions of the medium in which evidence in chief is presented in the courtroom. As part of the on-going research we would be grateful if you could take some of your valuable time to complete the questionnaire using the link provided below. It should take about 15 minutes to complete and participation is anonymous. If you would like to discuss this further or for any other information relating to the research and for related publications on these issues please contact either Jemma Hodgkins, [email protected] or Dr Rebecca Milne, Reader in Forensic Psychology, Director of the Centre of Forensic Interviewing, Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth. [email protected] or on (+44) 2392 843 927. Thank you for your assistance.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/witnessevidencequestionnaire
Other Events:
Science and Justice Conference: The Criminal Court
Guy’s Hospital, London Bridge, London SE1, Robens Suite
For further details and to register your attendance please contact Lesley Nott, BAFS Administration on: [email protected]
Please visit the BAFS website for more information
The Slynn Foundation are delighted that The RT Hon the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers KG, who will retire as President of the UK Supreme Court in September, has agreed to deliver the 10th Slynn Foundation Lecture on Monday 12 November 2012. More details will follow but please note the date.
AWB Dinner
A date for your diary – the Association of Women Barristers will be holding their annual dinner in Manchester on 25th October 2012, with Lady Hale as the keynote speaker. Further details to follow.
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