Weekly Round Up 27.04.12
CBA News:
Chairman’s Update:
The CBA Spring Conference in Newcastle last weekend was a great success, I hope those who attended will agree. It was a landmark event for me, as Newcastle is my home town. I have written to thanks all of the guest lecturers, who provided a five-star programme. Although the day was dedicated to education, with 7 CPD points on offer, I was able to say something about Bar politics, and you can read my speech HERE.
I am convening a national Heads of Chambers meeting at 5.30pm on Wednesday 9th May. This will be held at the Bar Council offices, with telephone link for all who need to dial in from the regions. Heads of Chambers will be contacted separately. I place the highest value upon the guidance offered by HoCs, who last met with me in October. It is time we reviewed the plight of the criminal Bar, particularly in light of the CBA Survey last month. At the discretion of your HoC, of course I do not mind if you want to be present when he/she dials in for the meeting.
The CBA Dinner on 18th May is nearly full, but there are some places left if you apply now. This provides the opportunity for my biggest speech of the year, following the Survey and the HoC Meeting. I hope you will be there to hear what I have to say, and to enjoy the evening.
On Wednesday this week I attended Module 1 of the Kalisher Trust Development Programme for selected students and pupils, held at Gray’s Inn. My thanks to the Kalisher Trustees and especially Camilla Barker for organising this excellent course. I hope I will see you at the Kalisher event in Middle Temple on Sunday 20th May, to raise further Scholarship funds. See below for information.
I look forward to seeing as many Wales and Chester Circuiteers as possible at 4.30pm next Tuesday 1st May, in the Robing Room at Cardiff Crown Court. Your Circuit Leader Greg Bull QC has the details. I shall talk about any and all of the issues affecting the criminal Bar, prior to a meeting at the Welsh Government the following morning, where Greg and I will discuss the ongoing consultation into ‘A separate legal jurisdiction for Wales.
Have a good weekend.
Max
Chairman’s Monthly Report
The April report can be found here
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
CBA Events:
CBA Old Bailey Lecture
Recent Developments in Criminal Law (Hearsay, Bad Character etc)
Professor David Ormerod
Tuesday 8th May 2012
17:15
Central Criminal Court, Bar Mess (5th Floor)
CPD – 1 Expected
For further information and to book please contact Aaron Dolan
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
Middle Temple Hall holds 300 and there are less than 100 places left; booking is advised
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 16)
Key updates from this week’s issue of Criminal Law Week:
Bad character – admission of such evidence to rebut a defence of mistake, accident or innocent association: R. v. Cambridge (Connor), C.A. (CLW/12/16/2).
Bad character – limitations on admissibility via gateway (c) (background evidence): R. v. Lee (Peter Bruce), C.A. (CLW/12/16/1).
Firearms – sentencing for possession of a disguised stun gun when no clear prosecution policy as to whether such offences should be charged under section 5(1)(b) or (1A)(a) of the Firearms Act 1968: R. v. Brereton (Matthew), C.A. (CLW/12/16/6).
Confiscation order (default term) – Court of Appeal sets out principles to be applied when fixing periods of imprisonment to be served on default, under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, s.139: R. v. Castillo (German), C.A. (CLW/12/16/9).
Dangerous offenders – whether an assessment of “dangerousness” is appropriate for an offender convicted of manslaughter by provocation: R. v. Brook (Neil), C.A. (CLW/12/16/10).
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 May with 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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