About the seminar
Familiarise yourself with common ethical scenarios at the criminal and civil Bar, and learn more about how and when to use the Bar Council’s ethical enquiries service.
Why attend
- Gain insight into common ethical scenarios that you may face as a barrister
- Know what to do if you are in court and an urgent ethical issue arises
- Learn more about the Bar Council’s free-to-use ethical enquiries service, and when to use it
- Get practical advice on how to adhere to your ethical duties and responsibilities as a barrister
- Hear from experts about real-world ethical challenges at the Bar
- Learn how to approach challenging ethical issues relating to your clients, opponents, and judges
Who should attend
- Pupils (first six and second six)
- Probationary tenants
- Junior barristers up to 7 years' call
- Junior clerks and chambers administrators
Speakers
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Francis FitzGibbon KC, 23ES
Francis FitzGibbon KC has a wide-ranging and diverse trial practice in serious crime (prosecuting and defending). High profile cases include R. v Marten (manslaughter of a baby), R. Mohammadi (the Colindale allotment murder) and R v Alemi (fraud by working as a psychiatrist with forged educational certificates). He undertakes high-profile appellate work (including the Supreme Court case of Jogee [2016] UKSC 8, which changed the law of joint enterprise). He has a special interest cases of human trafficking (including the leading case AAD [2022] 1 Cr App R 19), and miscarriage of justice cases before the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
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James Hines KC, Three Raymond Buildings
James Hines KC acts in major international fraud, crime and extradition cases, both prosecuting and defending. James has acted in numerous SFO, FCA, and CMA cases. He is Chair of the Fraud Lawyers’ Association. He is currently defending in SFO v London Mining Plc (bribery of government officials in Sierra Leone) due to be heard in spring 2026, and, on the prosecution side, he is instructed by the SFO in the Axiom Ince trial, he is also instructed in the Libor appeal in the Supreme Court.
In crime he has acted in all areas. Recent cases include a number of murder cases including Operation Rockrose, a contract killing, an EncroChat case.
Notable clients include Silvio Berlusconi, a suspect in the 1MDB trial in Malaysia, Glenn Mulcaire (News of the World phone hacking) and ‘the Nat West Three’.
Called 1982, Silk 2015. James is Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee and is a visiting professor at BPP University Law School.
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Danny Robinson KC, 5KBW
Danny Robinson KC is renowned for his expertise in cases of serious fraud, homicide, sexual offending and all forms of organised crime. He is listed by both Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a leading silk. He has particular expertise in cases involving RIPA, PII and disclosure issues.
Also speaking will be:
- Charlotte Reynolds
Book
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Useful resources
Ethics guidance
Contact the Ethical Enquiries Helpline, or visit the Bar Council's Ethics & Practice Hub to view ethics and practice documentation and guidance
Young Bar
Guidance for newly qualified barristers on how to build their practice and develop their skills