Navigating social media for the Bar

As Communications Manager (Policy & Campaigns), Shiryn leads policy-focused communications and campaigns work at the Bar Council, which represents all barristers in England and Wales. She was named as one of PRWeek's '30 under 30' comms professionals and was Highly Commended as Young PR Professional of the Year in 2020. Her recent work includes the award-winning 'I am the Bar' campaign. Shiryn has an LLB Law degree and has previously had experience with the BBC; the District-Attorney's Office in Athens, Georgia; Amicus ALJ and Gloucester Law Centre. She has volunteered with Liberty and currently sits on the Policy & Campaigns Advisory Group of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Melissa set up MD Communications, based in London, in 2010, after a career in economics and lobbying and a stint running the press office of the Law Society. MD Communications is a full service, global specialist legal reputation consultancy with a team of 30, spanning several jurisdictions and serving clients in most corners of the globe. Melissa leads a team that empowers their clients to grow their personal and professional reputations through PR, social media, digital content strategies, crisis management, legal directories and bids and tenders. Melissa sits on the IBA wellbeing working party as well as the European Regional Forum, the Law Firm Management Committee and the ABA Transnational Legal Practice Committee.

Joanna is a criminal defence barrister ranked in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 editions of the Legal 500 as a leading junior. In 2019, she was listed in the Law and Order category of the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000, a list of the most influential people in London. Joanna defends at the highest level. Her recent instructions as sole counsel include attempted murder, rape, kidnap, death by dangerous driving, arson, historic sexual allegations, widespread drugs conspiracies and high profile fraud. With over 40,000 Twitter followers, Joanna is a ‘Twitter titan’ and one of the UK’s most influential barristers on social media. Joanna uses her social media presence to promote access to the profession, diversity within the profession and contemporary legal issues.

John was called to the Bar in 1985. Following independent practice in common law chambers, he has worked as an employed barrister in major news organisations for 30 years. He is the Head of Legal and Compliance at ITN which makes ITV News, Channel 4 News and Channel 5 news and has been in this role since 2001. The role entails advising journalists and editors on broadcast and online content and he writes the ITN Compliance Manual on standards - which includes policies on social media. Previously he worked as Group Legal Advisor at Associated Newspapers Limited and as Legal Manager of News UK. He is Chair of the Media Lawyers Association, leads the broadcast industry group regarding filming in courts, is Vice Chair of the DSMA committee and recently joined the Bar Council Ethics Committee. He has taught law at City University, University of London and has been a Visiting Lecturer at Melbourne University.