Bar Council Chair welcomes indication Andy Burnham may scrap plans to reduce jury trials
The PM said his instincts are "not to reduce access to jury trial"
Farrar's Building - Mixed (14 August 2026)
£ 20,000 | Mixed | London | start date Autumn 2026
A busy season for international engagement: our upcoming international programme
The second half of 2026 is shaping up to be one of our busiest periods for international engagement.
Justice doing time – why it's time to reform the prisoner delivery system
In this blog, Bar Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC explores the "scandal that swirls around every robing room"... the late delivery of prisoners to court and the delays they cause.
Law reform essay competition application form
Got an idea for reform to legislation or common law? We're now inviting entrants to our 2026 essay competition.
Barristers Working Lives report 2025
The Barristers' Working Lives survey is designed to explore the lived experience of working as a barrister. The results from the survey help shape and prioritise our work in representing and supporting you.
Low countries, high spirits: reflections on the Anglo-Dutch Exchange and our 60 years of friendship
Chair of our Young Barristers' Committee Amelia Clegg reflects on the 2026 Anglo-Dutch Exchange, which this year celebrated its 60th anniversary. For the last six decades, the exchange has been an opportunity not only to compare legal systems but build relationships, share ideas and remember that, despite practising in different jurisdictions, we face many of the same opportunities and challenges.
Tanfield Chambers - Mixed *14 August 2026)
£ N/A | Mixed | London | start The probationary tenancy is intended to commence as soon as reasonably practicable following completion of the successful candidate's 12-month pupillage
Bar Council welcomes new Lord Chancellor and Attorney General and sets out priorities
The Bar Council has welcomed the new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice the Rt Hon Alex Norris MP and the new Attorney General the Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP, and set out its priorities.
Behind the image, what truly makes a barrister?
Victoria Waiba is a Year 12 student at Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate. Victoria applied to the Bar Placement Scheme to further her understanding of both the mentality and practical day to day work involved in becoming a barrister.
Bar Council calls for legal aid to be considered essential public service alongside NHS and education
Responding to the Justice Select Committee's new report on access to justice and legal aid, the Bar Council has said it underlines how decades of underfunding have resulted in jeopardising both access to justice and justice itself.
A day in the life: reality behind the Bar
A winner of our Bar Placement Scheme blog competition, Xia Khan writes about how his experience of balancing work and education shaped his determination to pursue the Bar and motivated him to apply for the scheme.
Garden Court Chambers - Housing (7 August 2026)
£ 15,000 PM | Housing | London | start date N/A
Pump Court Chambers - Children (17 August 2026)
£ N/A | Children | London, Winchester, Swindon, Canterbury | start date ASAP
Pump Court Chambers - Family Finance (6 August 2026)
£ N/A | Family Finance |London, Winchester, Swindon, Canterbury | start date ASAP
Barristers report "endemic" delays to trials caused by late delivery of prisoners
Research based on reports from barristers has shown the ‘endemic’ and ‘routine’ nature of delays caused by the late delivery of prisoners to court, casting doubt over the validity of official data.
Barristers’ observations on the late delivery of prisoners to court
More than 200 reports were made by barristers to the Bar Council – averaging 13 per week – of instances where individuals in custody were brought to court late or not at all. A quarter of reports said the delay lasted more than 5 hours. Delays were also reported across England and Wales in a total of 69 courts and 59 prisons.
Consultation on increase in criminal legal aid “another step in the right direction” – Bar Council
The Bar Council has said it will respond to the consultation in detail, setting out those targeted measures which are necessary and those which are misdirected.
UK–Switzerland trade agreement includes new provisions for legal services
British lawyers and other service providers are set to benefit from the deal
Locking up children is difficult
Samuel Skinner KC explores the difficulties in finding the right sentence if a child is convicted of crime