What is it the Bar Council does? Here's a glimpse of just some of the work we have done in January 2016

  1. Chair of the Young Barristers' Committee met with the Treasurers /Under-Treasurers of the four Inns of Court to discuss how best to support young barristers, including by cooperating and cross-publicising information and resources on our respective platforms.  The Young Bar Hub is now accessible via the four Inns of Courts' websites.

  2. After a consultation, the Bar Council announced that it would move the Pupillage Gateway opening to January from 2017.

  3. The Bar Council's Twitter feed hit 26,700 followers, with high profile followers including the AG and Leader of the Opposition, as well as key influencers in the SME sector, business community and legal sector. The Bar Council's Facebook page went passed 500 followers and the Bar Council's YouTube channel saw 5,000 video views, with videos covering a range of topics from help with pupillage applications to client experiences of direct access barristers. 

  4. Mini-pupillage 'hub' launched on the Bar Council website, providing a listing of available mini-pupillages.

  5. The new Bar Nursery partnership started in Leeds.

  6. The Bar Council's publicity drive on Direct Access included publicity in the Federation of Small Business' magazine, which reaches 160,000 small business owners, the Daily Mail and various regional media in Manchester, Yorkshire and the South West.

  7. The Bar Council Pro Bono Board was launched and met for the first time in January.

  8. The Bar Council's new ambassador schemes were launched, one for barristers, and one for chambers staff. In both cases the ambassadors fulfil a two-way ambassadorial role between chambers and the Bar Council. The schemes are designed to open a new channel of communication between the Bar and the Bar's representative body, Bar Council. 

  9. The Times published an interview with the Chairman of the Bar which covered a range of issues affecting barristers.

  10.  The Bar Council responded to the Bar Standards Board's consultations on (i) the cost of licensing of a Bar Standards Board regulated Alternative Business Structure and (ii) Fees and Charges (concerned with how the BSB is funded), as well as the Home Office's consultation on Introducing a Stalking Protection Order.