The big issue
Young Barristers’ Committee chair Athena Markides highlights the impact of judicial bullying, harassment, and poor wellbeing on the junior Bar
As chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC), one of my first tasks is to set the committee’s priorities for the year. Along with business as usual (e.g. Brexit and court reform), the YBC needs to identify key issues facing barristers in their first seven years of practice, and then to try and address those …
Continue reading “Don’t trade your mental health for success”
The Bar
Running chambers as a commercial enterprise requires sophisticated, professional, and entrepreneurial clerks, writes Sam Carter, senior clerk at Coram Chambers
There has been many an article written in recent years about the constant changes at the Bar and how chambers should adapt. As a service industry, being cost effective, offering and maintaining a high standard of excellence should be the focal point of any set’s strategy while also remaining ahead of the game. A growing …
Continue reading “Clerks or business leaders? Modern-day thinking and business development”
The Bar
For the Bar to cast off its image of privilege, it must talk about how it selects barristers of the future, argues Ed Vickers QC of Red Lion Chambers.
The legal profession has an image problem. For many students thinking of a career in the law, the Bar in particular is seen as overwhelmingly white, male and privately educated; the language of the law is old fashioned and resonates a world of privilege; and this image is compounded by photos of judges in full …
Continue reading “The problem with pupillage”
Interview with: Ron Urbach
Davis & Gilbert’s chairman on why the New York firm is the antithesis of Big Law and the importance he places on offering clients value-added service
How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? Our culture is a reflection of our firm’s history and core values, grounded on the concepts of family – care, respect, understanding, integrity and service; history – learning from and respectful of the past; entrepreneurial spirit and business focus; and always …
Continue reading “The benefits of being ‘other’”
Editors' views
If they are to retain their best talent, law firms must remember their duty of care, writes John van der Luit-Drummond
A few weeks ago, I met up with an old friend from law school. It had been a couple of months since last we met, but the change in them was striking and somewhat frightening. Dark circles around bloodshot eyes contrasted against drawn, ashen skin. Their now furrowed brow was topped by unwashed hair, while …
Continue reading “Your lawyers are only human”
Interview with: Séverine Hotellier
What works in New York does not necessarily work in Baku, and we understand that, explains Dentons’ Paris managing partner
How would you define your firm’s culture? Dentons is a challenger brand and we are trying to build the law firm of the future together, so it is a very exciting place to work. Our culture is extremely important to us, so we have built a unique culture around five core values: passion, foresight, collaboration, …
Continue reading “Polycentricity sets us apart”
Editors' views
Deutschland editor Anna Bauböck speaks to a selection of partners about the meaning of legal technology, innovation, and a changing profession
With such a buzz around ‘legal tech’ these last few years, I’ve found myself questioning what people actually mean by the term. Today every firm I meet wants to talk about it, but the definition and understanding of legal tech appears to vary widely and not surprisingly so, as it can encompass a whole host …
Continue reading “Beyond the buzz? Getting to the crux of legal tech”
Interview with: Georg Frowein and Rainer Krause
Hengeler Mueller’s co-managing partners provide advice to the next generation of partners and explain why they shun the ‘straitjacket’ of branch networks
How would you define your firm’s culture? How important is firm culture to you? Throughout the existence of Hengeler Mueller, we have preserved a close and cooperative culture within our partnership. We regard this as a very precious element of our firm and key to our success. Most Hengeler Mueller partners spend their whole career …
Continue reading “Invent, move forward, collaborate”
Interview with...
HFW’s Australia managing partner on what sets his firm apart from the competition, creating a ‘one stop shop’, and ‘unrestricted’ partner access
What’s the main change you’ve made in Australia that will benefit clients? When we established HFW’s first office in Australia in 2006 our principal service areas were shipping and commodities, being the industry sectors for which the firm is widely recognised internationally as having market-leading expertise. Australia generates about 10% of the world’s bulk freight …
Continue reading “Gavin Vallely: A true industry focus”
