Time Flies
The saying, “Time flies when you are having fun” could not be more apt for me and I would like to begin by letting everyone know how much I have enjoyed working with the SEC Executive and Committee. Especial congratulations go to everyone involved in organising the marvellous SEC trip to Bruges in October 2009. You can read about the wonderful time had by all on that trip in these pages. Bruges is a truly beautiful city, enhanced for us by its tenuous Circuit connection: Penry-Davey Jnr. had directorial involvement in the film ‘In Bruges’; a dark comedy that I warmly recommend. To continue with the theme of dark comedy, Giles Colin earned the admiration of the group for his powers of observation and courage, in chasing and physically apprehending a thief on our outward journey (while I identified the lookout – the more violent of the two accomplices – who, in vain, faked an epileptic fit to earn our sympathy). Giles also drew inspiration from the film in booking an incredible hotel featured in it. By day two, everyone felt they could get used to champagne for breakfast daily. Giles has negotiated another incredible hotel, amongst the best in the world, in Malta for the forthcoming Circuit trip; it promises to be unmissable.
In November, Michelle Fawcett, Claire Harden, Maura McGowan QC, Pam Oon, Ben Summers, James Thacker and Jon Whitfield QC were elected as members of the Circuit Committee and in December, Dermot Keating, John Dodd QC, Pam Oon, David Brock and Sheilagh Davies were selected to sit on the Executive Committee for 6 months. I am grateful to all of them for accepting the appointment and extend my thanks to their predecessors who have made a valuable contribution to the work of the Committee. The Committee bade farewell to Jeremy Gold QC and Ian Darling upon their appointment as Circuit Judges. They will be sorely missed; we wish them the very best on the bench and are sure they will not forget us.
Our Committee meetings are fortunate to be attended by distinguished guests, such as three of the Presiders: Bean J, Cooke J, Saunders J, Paul Mendelle QC along with Christopher Kinch QC from the CBA and Rebecca Wilkie with Robin Knowles QC of the Bar Pro Bono Unit, all of whom spoke passionately about the work they do. Next time, we will have Keir Starmer QC, the DPP, and after that the Chairman of the Bar Council, Nick Green QC. Attendance by such guests at our meetings is an important feature, promoting the work of the SEC, fostering a better understanding of that work with our guests and getting their take on different issues. Accordingly, I intend to keep issuing invites, using my contacts in a way that is good for us, in getting our views across, and for them, in learning of our concerns and how we wish these would be tackled.
In September 2009 and January and March 2010, we were treated to Masters of Advocacy lectures by Jonathan Sumption QC, Dinah Rose QC and Andrew Hochhauser QC respectively. Each lecture has been extremely well attended and received, with hundreds of people turning out on each occasion. We are extremely fortunate to have such experienced and skilled advocates at the top of their game, prepared to give up their valuable time to educate and entertain us. Their respective interviewers were Timothy Dutton QC, Desmond Browne QC and John Hendy QC, each a respected star in their own right. Well done to Anesta Weekes QC on a triumphant feat of organisation in arranging this outstanding series of lectures.
February saw the exciting news of the Silk appointments and March, their consequent ceremony and parties. My congratulations to all the new SEC QCs appointed: I wish them the very best of luck in Silk. I also hope and trust that they will involve or continue to involve themselves in Circuit matters. We need all hands on deck in these difficult times. My particular congratulations go to Sean Larkin QC, who has been a longstanding and loyal member of the SEC Committee and Executive.
In the same month, we were honoured to have Lord Hoffmann deliver the Fifth Ebsworth Lecture, when he spoke about Libel Tourism. Suffice it to say, there was standing room only after all 350 seats were filled in record time. I found myself hastily re-writing a number of things I had planned to say at the end of the lecture (which taught me that you can’t believe everything you read on the internet) as Lord Hoffmann demolished a number of preconceptions about his views on a fascinating and highly topical subject.
The Bar Council and Bar Standards Board road shows ‘All Change: Or Not?’ were a tremendous success. I – as I’m sure did everyone in the audience – learnt a great deal about a possible brave new world. These events are an extremely important part of Circuit activity and I am extremely grateful to all those who assisted in making them the success they were.
I have now visited every Mess, save one, on the Circuit and have been treated to some extremely warm and generous hospitality. I have also visited a number of sets of Circuit chambers after court in order to meet as many barristers as possible. I have found these meetings to be extremely valuable in listening to local concerns and gathering information to feed back to the great and the good. Please remember that by taking advantage of these opportunities or of separately getting in touch, I can have first hand examples to relay back to decision makers, and myself, make more informed decisions on which issues to progress because of strength of feeling. Input from you is essential in informing me how to allocate limited resources of time; please continue to make contact if there are issues that concern you.
I am pleased to report that SEC membership continues to rise. My particular thanks in this regard go to Ann Cotcher QC and Georgina Gibbs, who are on something of a mission to ensure we continue to be a force to be reckoned with.
Progress is being made in relation to the CPS and unpaid fees. Many of you will have seen the letter from Alison Saunders, Chief Crown Prosecutor, in February, which was circulated by email. For the first time ever, the CPS has instituted making hardship payments in cases where there will be any substantial delay in settling fees and real proven hardship. All applications for hardship payments must be forwarded through me. You can rest assured that I will keep my foot on the accelerator in relation to unpaid fees. I am also continuing to work on the thorny issue of HCAs.
Double sitting start in two London courts shortly. Sarah Forshaw QC is in charge of this for the Circuit. I am keeping a cautiously welcome eye upon it. I believe that it could work for some sections of the Bar but I look forward to seeing how it works in practice.
We are now looking forward to the Circuit trip to Malta in May, the May and August Florida advocacy training trips and the Annual Dinner in June. We are fortunate enough to have Lord Neuberger, the Master of the Rolls, as the guest speaker at the Annual Dinner. Anyone who reads the papers should know that with such an intelligent and outspoken speaker as well as a great friend of the Circuit, we are in for what promises to be a very interesting evening.
The Keble Advanced Advocacy Course is at the end of August to the beginning of September. On the subject of Keble, I wish to extend my special thanks to Inge Bonner for all her hard work on this and all previous events. Keble, and indeed all events organised by the SEC, would not be managed half as well without her. I also cannot thank enough Philip Brook Smith QC, for this will be his last year as Director of Keble. His has been a magnificent contribution over the years of both a personal and professional nature. Philip Bartle QC will take over as Director, and we look forward to working with him and the continued success of Keble as a world-renowned advocacy programme.
While I enjoy being able to work for the SEC, I am also able, ever so occasionally, to combine my work as Leader with genuine play. Four out of five of the other Circuit Leaders, together with their better halves, are coming to stay at my home in Spain for the first May Bank Holiday. We hope, amidst all the discussions and work about the Bar, to engage in a little eating and drinking. Rest assured we will fly the flag for the English and Welsh Bar all the while, and behave circumspectly… That said, all work and no play would make Stephen a very dull boy, and I know none of you would want that – neither do I!
I wish you all a very happy and successful summer and I look forward to continuing to do battle on your behalf in the year ahead.