The Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimee Doerries QC, has invited Hugh Mercer QC to chair a Bar Council working group to consider the ramifications for profession of Brexit.

The Brexit working group's first step will be to host an open forum for barristers to raise topics and issues which they would like to consider. Thereafter it will review the consequences of Brexit for the profession as a whole, for certain practice areas, for chambers and entities and for the justice system more broadly.

Chairman of the Bar, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, said: "Barristers practising in other EU countries may well be wondering what the future holds.

"It is fair to say that Brexit has created a great deal of uncertainty, but one thing we can be sure of is London's position as the transaction and dispute resolution centre of Europe. The Bar, the judiciary, our world class commercial court infrastructure and our system of common law all contribute to making the UK an attractive destination for business and investment. The UK is the jurisdiction of choice for parties from all over the world.

"Top of the working group's agenda is securing free movement for lawyers within Europe and other jurisdictions where barristers have benefitted from European trade agreements. This will allow legal professionals throughout the EU to continue providing the advice and legal representation that is vital to their clients business and economic interests, and to stability and growth across a range of sectors."

The working group's focus will be on evaluating the implications of Brexit and producing guidance for the profession. Its remit does not include seeking to influence the Government's decision to leave or remain in the European Union, on which the Bar Council maintained, and continues to maintain, a politically neutral position.

ENDS

Notes to Editors 

  1. Further information is available from the Bar Council Press Office on 020 7222 2525 and [email protected].

  2. The Bar Council represents barristers in England and Wales. It promotes: 

  • The Bar's high quality specialist advocacy and advisory services

  • Fair access to justice for all

  • The highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across the profession, and

  • The development of business opportunities for barristers at home and abroad.

The General Council of the Bar is the Approved Regulator of the Bar of England and Wales. It discharges its regulatory functions through the independent Bar Standards Board