Sir Andrew Burns KCMG

Chairman
The Bar Standards Board
289 High Holborn
London WC1V 7HZ
Copy by email to: futurebartraining@barstandardsboard.org.uk
31 January 2017
Dear Sir Andrew
We are individual members of the Bar of England and Wales. We write to express our
disappointment at the contents of the Future Bar Training consultation paper (Consultation
on the Future of Training for the Bar: Future Routes to Authorisation) dated October 2016
(the Consultation Paper). The Consultation Paper is not a sound basis for reforming the
BPTC, for the following reasons:
1. It is not guided by a proper understanding of the BSBs statutory objectives of
promoting and protecting the public interest. There are just 430 pupillages available
every year, but over 1,500 people commencing the BPTC. The BSBs focus should
be on ensuring that those with a realistic prospect of obtaining pupillage receive high
quality training, at the most efficient cost, in order to equip them to serve the public.
Such training should, as far as possible, be provided in a way that keeps costs
down, and thus avoids creating unnecessary financial barriers to people from
modest income backgrounds who wish to come to the Bar and have the aptitude to
do so. There is no public interest in allowing the continuation, for its own sake, of a
state of affairs whereby over 1,500 people a year are undertaking an expensive
course, in circumstances where many of them do not have any realistic prospect of
obtaining pupillage. The cost of the course is financially crippling for many of them,
and their presence on the course reduces the quality and level of the training that
can be offered to those students who do have a realistic chance of obtaining
pupillage. There is likewise no public interest in deterring entry to the profession by
men and women of talent and ability. Providing high quality professional training to,
and promotion of equality and diversity among, those with a realistic prospect of
obtaining pupillage, would plainly not have any material deleterious effect on
competition in any market for the provision of legal services, nor would it limit
(directly or indirectly) the numbers actually entering the profession; to the contrary, it
would improve such competition.
2. It fails to identify the underlying cause of the current problems, namely the fact that
BPTC provision has become a self-serving industry that has vastly outgrown its
raison dtre of training people in preparation for their becoming one of the people
who commence providing legal services every year as members of the Bar of
England and Wales. As a result of that fundamental mismatch between purpose and
reality, a small profession is faced with an impossible challenge of trying to secure
the provision of high quality, financially supported training for people with a realistic
prospect of entering the profession, in order to both (i) protect and promote the
public interest, and (ii) ensure that the Bar remains open to people without wealthy
parents.

3. It displays little comprehension of the practical realities of the profession, by

supposing that it is practicable for a small profession such as the English Bar to
sustain multiple different routes to qualification (this being the BSBs currently
preferred option, namely the Option B: managed pathways option described in
the Consultation Paper), while ensuring high quality. The BSBs preference for that
option is not based on any research identifying significant numbers of chambers or
universities who would be willing and able to develop new routes to qualification.
Further, the regulatory costs associated with approving and quality-assuring multiple
routes are simply ignored.
4. It fails to provide a balanced and fair presentation of the options for reform. Option A
is essentially the do nothing option; Option B is the BSBs minded to decision; and
Option C is an absurd option which envisages that the BSB would somehow set
examinations or other routes to qualification replacing the need for a Law degree or
any other formal education in English Law. As for the proposal put forward by the
Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) and the Bar Council: that proposal (the Bars
Proposal) is not even mentioned. Instead, Option C is described as the Bar
specialist option a description that has unsurprisingly misled some readers of the
Consultation Paper into thinking that Option C was the option being proposed by the
Bar.
Our endorsement of the Bars Proposal
Professional regulation should be a co-operative partnership between the profession and its
regulator, based on mutual respect. We are surprised that our regulator would initiate a
consultation on a set of options for reform whilst ignoring (without any explanation) the
option developed by the profession.
We note that on 1 December 2016 the BSB agreed to extend the consultation deadline from
23 December 2016 until 31 January 2017 to include consultation on the Bars Proposal.1 We
welcome that step. Nevertheless, we wish to express that, in our view, it was unacceptable
that the three options originally set out in the Consultation Paper did not even mention the
Bars Proposal, which has the support of all four Inns, and has been endorsed by many
stakeholders from the profession, including the Bar Council.2 The Inns are educational
charities and are currently the main source of non-family financial support for students
undertaking the BPTC. Both the Inns and the Bar Council are well qualified to address the
questions raised in the present Consultation paper; indeed, as self-employed practitioners,
we depend upon members of these bodies to represent our views to you, our regulator.
We support the Bars Proposal and in particular the following key aspects of that proposal:
i)
no change to the academic stage of training and no change to pupillage;
ii)
introduction of a two-part structure for the BPTC;

https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/media/1798993/bptc_coic_bar_council_proposal_final_dec_2
016.pdf
2 http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/media/400507/the_future_of_training_for_the_bar.pdf

iii)

iv)

the possibility for students to opt for self-study at home using textbooks for the
first part of the BPTC (the knowledge-based exams) with no compulsory
attendance requirements for any teaching sessions; and
the requirement that all students pass the knowledge-based exams in Part 1
before progressing to skills-based training in Part 2 with a focus upon advocacy
training and minimum compulsory attendance at teaching/practice sessions.

The Bars Proposal represents a practicable and realistic way forward. It would
simultaneously: (a) reduce the overall costs of qualification; (b) focus the Bars training
resources on those students with a good prospect of securing a pupillage, enabling
substantial financial assistance to be provided to those students from modest income
backgrounds who pass Part I; and (c) allow the Part II course to develop as a very high
quality course benefiting from strong and active support from the practising Bar, which will
genuinely equip students with the skills they need in order to practise effectively in the
English courts. The Bars Proposal is flexible, accessible and affordable (in accordance with
three of the BSBs fundamental principles referred to in the Consultation Paper), and would
raise standards (thus going further than the fourth fundamental principle of sustaining high
standards).
It is our firm view that, in order for the Bars Proposal to achieve its intended effects in
remedying the problems with the current arrangements, it should be implemented as a
replacement to (and not as a managed pathway representing an optional alternative to) the
current BPTC. Otherwise the likelihood is that there will simply be a continuation of the
status quo, and the twin problems of cost and quality associated with the current BPTC
arrangement would remain unsolved.
Summary of the most serious flaws of the three BSB proposals
Both COIC and the Bar Council will be issuing comprehensive responses to the three BSB
proposals. In this letter we set out the most serious flaws of the three BSB proposals.
Option A, Evolutionary approach: This option is broadly the same as the present
system, the problems with which are well known. This option would do nothing to reduce the
costs of qualifying as a barrister or to reduce the number of students incurring those costs
without a real prospect of securing a pupillage.
Option B, Managed Pathways: This approach contemplates a plethora of pathways to
the Bar, which would not be limited to the four sub-options proposed by the BSB as follows:
Option B(i): Sequential training: (1) academic; (2) vocational; (3) work-based
learning.
- This pathway is the same as Option A, as to which see the above
concerns.
Option B(ii): (1) Academic and vocational training combined; (2) work-based learning.
- This pathway invites the creation by universities of law degree courses
which combine the content now covered by a qualifying law degree or
GDL with the BPTC course content.
- Universities are already able to take this approach: Northumbria Law
School has already done so, but there is no evidence of interest from

other universities.
That lack of interest is not surprising. Given the small size of the Bar,
many university law degree courses have only one or two, if any, students
on them who will eventually come to the Bar. Accordingly, it makes more
sense for universities to focus on providing broad-based academic law
courses that equip students well for whichever career choices they
subsequently make, whether within or outside the legal profession.
It would be wrong to encourage students to lock themselves into a career
path earlier than is appropriate. This sub-option may increase the number
of student undertaking vocational training without the prospect of
pupillage.
It would also be wrong to encourage students from lower income
backgrounds who have excellent A-level results to choose a university
based on trying to reduce their costs of fulfilling the BPTC requirements.
Prestigious university law departments at places such as Oxford,
Cambridge, London, Nottingham, etc., are very unlikely to be interested in
offering vocational/professional education as part of their law degree
courses.

Option B(iii): (1) Academic training; (2) vocational and work-based learning
combined.
- This pathway would prematurely begin the assessment of pupils by
introducing a combination of pupillage/vocational training before basic
skills training has been delivered.
- It would be burdensome on chambers and self-employed pupil
supervisors to deliver, or manage the delivery of, vocational and workbased learning to centrally set assessment standards during pupillage.
Such approaches would also be highly disruptive to the pupillage
experience in a set of chambers. It is therefore unlikely that many, if any,
chambers would wish to adopt such a model.
- The proposal would therefore involve the BSB incurring substantial
regulatory cost in developing a framework for approving alternative
pathways that would benefit only a very small number of people each
year.
- There is also good reason to be concerned about whether the vocational
and work-based learning provided to the students would meet consistent
quality standards and would properly equip pupils with the set of
foundational skills they need to be able to practice competently in the
English courts.
Option B(iv): Modular training: Academic, vocational and work-based learning
combined.
- There is a complete lack of information about how this pathway could
function in practice.
- The same concerns as expressed above in relation to Option B(iii) are
also applicable to this option.
In addition to the concerns noted above in relation to each of the four suggested pathways,
Option B has little to commend it and we advocate strongly against it for the following
reasons:

i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

it incorrectly shifts the focus from reform of the BPTC to reform of the delivery of
the academic/pupillage stages;
creating multiple pathways is unnecessary given the small number of pupillages
available;
it complicates Chambers recruitment and pupillage processes and adds to
confusion amongst applicants about routes to the Bar; and
the costs to the of BSB regulating numerous pathways risks raising the cost of
qualifying as a barrister (since relevant regulatory costs are presently passed
onto students as part of the BPTC fee).

Option C, Bar Specialist Approach: This approach is the most radical and unappealing
of the three proposals, in that it eliminates the requirement for a law degree or GDL at all,
requiring instead a 2:2 degree in any subject + a "qualifying exam" + vocational skills
training/assessment + pupillage. The qualifying exam(s) would aim somehow to
simultaneously assess all seven compulsory subjects presently covered by a qualifying law
degree/GDL and vocational knowledge from the present BPTC syllabus. As to this approach:
i)
it is inconceivable that a single exam, or even a series of exams within a short
period, could adequately assess all of these topics;
ii)
students who already have what is now a qualifying law degree or GDL will waste
time revising for an unnecessary further exam and may also incur additional
costs;
iii)
it would be inordinately difficult and expensive for the BSB to set and mark an
examination capable of testing all the foundational areas of legal knowledge;
iv)
there are already a range of flexible options for enabling students who did not
study Law at university to acquire the requisite foundational legal knowledge.
Those options include not only the GDL (full-time and part-time), but also the
Open University and senior status law degree programmes offered by various
universities (as 2-year full-time courses, or on a part-time basis, or via home
study); and
v)
any attempt to alter the system such that barristers need not have knowledge of
all seven compulsory academic subjects is vehemently opposed given that this
may mean barristers would not have rights of audience in all courts.
Conclusion
The current BPTC arrangements shame the profession and are not in the public interest.
They do nothing to improve the quality of legal services, nor to increase choice for
consumers, nor to reduce the costs of legal services, nor to benefit equality and diversity in
the profession.
It is now essential that the BSB look beyond the special pleadings of BPTC providers, and
focus on the public interest in the context of a small profession committed to the highest
standards. We firmly believe that the Bars Proposal represents a realistic way forward, and
we urge the BSB to now engage properly with that proposal and to consult on its
implementation.
Yours sincerely
1.
2.

Samar Abbas, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

Barrie Akin, barrister, Devereux Chambers

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Caroline Allen, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

Jude Allen, barrister, 1 Hare Court Chambers
Jack Anderson, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Colin Andress, barrister, Clerksroom
Selman Ansari, barrister, Senior Consultant, Bindmans LLP
Rachel Ansell QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
John Antell, barrister, KBG Chambers
Michael Armitage, barrister, Monckton Chambers
James Armstrong-Holmes, barrister, The 36 Group
Joyce Arnold, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Richard Atkins QC, barrister, Leader of the Midland Circuit, St Philips
Chambers
Jessica Atkinson, barrister, Mansfield 1 Gray's Inn Chambers
Richard Austen-Baker, Senior Lecturer in Law, Lancaster University Law
School
Judith Ayling, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Kelyn Bacon QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Lorna Badham, barrister, St Philips Chambers
David Bailey QC, barrister, 7 King's Bench Walk
Ali Naseem Bajwa QC, barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Gus Baker, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
John Baldwin QC, barrister, 8 New Square
Charles Banner, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Andrew Bano, Visiting Judge of the Upper Tribunal (AAC)
Colin Baran, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Theo Barclay, barrister, and Leader of the Midland Circuit, Hailsham Chambers
Evie Barden, barrister, Enterprise Chambers
Katherine Barnes, barrister, Francis Taylor Building
Rachel Barrett, barrister, Cloisters
Steven Barrett, barrister, Radcliffe Chambers
John Barrett, barrister, Kings Chambers
Andrew Bartlett QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Lucas Bastin, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Philip Bastos Martin, employed barrister
Alan Bates, barrister, Monckton Chambers
John Bate-Williams, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers
Heather Beckett, barrister, Mansfield 1 Gray's Inn Chambers
Constanze Bell, barrister, Kings Chambers
Clara Benn, barrister, 7 KBW
Sir Frank Berman KCMG QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Sally Bevan, barrister, The Legal Side Limited
Shiraz Bhanji, barrister, 1 Gray's Inn Square Chambers
Yash Bheeroo, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Anna Bicarregui, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Natalie Bird, pupil barrister, 2 Bedford Row
Elizabeth Blackburn QC, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Richard Blakeley, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Patrick Blakesley, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Claire Blanchard QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Neil Block QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

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David Blundell, barrister, Landmark Chambers

Adam Board, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Toby Boncey, barrister, Falcon Chambers
Elizabeth Boon, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Colin Bourne, barrister, Kings Chambers
Adam Boukraa, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Sarah Bousfield, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
James Bowling, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Bill Bowring, barrister, Field Court Chambers
Barnabas Branston, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Timothy Brennan QC, barrister, Devereux Chambers
Samantha Broadfoot, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Edward Brown, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
James Bruce, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Peter Brunning, barrister, formerly consultant to the Ministry of Justice
David Brynmor Thomas, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Eve Bugeja, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Tim Buley, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Rhys Burriss, barrister, formerly Clerk to the Justices, Derwentside
Frances Burton, barrister, Senior Lecturer in Law, Buckinghamshire New
University
Lisa Busch QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Martin Butterworth, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Andrew Byass, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Tim Calland, barrister, Maitland Chambers
Mark Cannon QC, barrister, 4 New Square
Edward Capewell, barrister, 11KBW
David Caplan, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Oliver Caplin, barrister, 20 Essex Street
Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE QC, barrister, SC Strategy Limited
James Cartwright, barrister, 1MCB
Daniel Cashman, barrister, Blackstone Chambers
Gordon Catford, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Cleon Catsambis, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Susan Cavender, barrister, Guildhall Chambers
Susan Chan, barrister, 42 Bedford Row
Alex Charlton QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Andrew Charman, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Rangan Chatterjee, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Tim Chelmick , barrister, 4 New Square
Dr Cyril Chern, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Camilla Church, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Daniel Churcher, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Charles Ciumei QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Amy Clarke, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Robert Cohen, barrister, 5 Essex Court
James Collins QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Gino Connor , barrister, Furnival Chambers
Jess Connors, barrister, 39 Essex Court Chambers
Tina Cook QC, barrister, 42 Bedford Row

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Roderick Cordara QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers

Emma Corkill, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Timothy Corner QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
James Cornwell, barrister, 11KBW
Charlie Cory-Wright QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Stephen Cottrell, barrister, Devereux Chambers
Thomas Crangle, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Stuart Cribb, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
John Critchley, barrister, Field Court Chambers
Simon Crookenden QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
James Cross QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Hugh Cumber, barrister, 5 Stone Buildings
Romilly Cummerson , barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Edward Cumming, barrister, XXIV Chambers
Michael Curtis QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Matthew Dale-Harris, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Caroline Daly, barrister, Francis Taylor Building
Jennifer Danvers, barrister, Cloisters
Sian Davies, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Nicholas Davies, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Andrew Davies, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Huw Davies QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Miranda De Savorgnani, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
Paul Dean, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Graham Denholm, barrister, Landmark Chambers
John Denis-Smith, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Michael Devine, barrister, Magdalen Chambers
Tim Devlin, barrister, Furnival Chambers
Anna Dilnot, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Andrew Dinsmore, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Catherine Dobson, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Michael Douglas QC , barrister, 4 Pump Court
Rebecca Drake, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Owain Draper , barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Emily Duckworth, barrister, Kings Chambers
Anton Dudnikov, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Graham Dunning QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Katherine Eddy, barrister, 11KBW
Mark Eldridge, barrister, 5 Pump Court
Mark Ellison QC, barrister, QEB Hollis Whiteman
David Elvin QC, barrister, Chairman of the Recruitment Committee, Landmark
Chambers
Franklin Evans, barrister, Field Court Chambers
D. Anthony Evans QC, barrister (retd.), bencher of Grays Inn
Jason Evans-Tovey, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Anne Fairpo, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
Damian Falkowski, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Andrew Feld, barrister, 20 Essex Street
Mark Fenhalls QC, barrister, 23 Essex Street
Toby Fisher, barrister, Landmark Chambers

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Andrew Fisher QC, barrister, Citadel Chambers

Nicholas Fletcher QC, barrister, 4 New Square
His Honour Paul Focke QC, Old Bailey Judge (retd)
Emily Formby, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
David Forsdick QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Samantha Forsyth, barrister, No5 Chambers
Anjoli Foster, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Catherine Foster, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Alison Foster QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Benjamin Fowler, barrister, 4 New Square
James Fox, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
David Foxton QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Kim Franklin, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Matthew Fraser, barrister, Landmark Chambers
David Friedman QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Ben Fullbrook, pupil barrister, Landmark Chambers
Sophie Garner, barrister and mediator, St Philips Chambers
Patrik Garten, barrister (non-practising)
Karim Ghaly, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Hannah Gibbs, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Lisa Giovannetti QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Edwin Glasgow QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Alexander Glassbrook, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers
Orlando Gledhill, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Leon Glenister, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Richard Glenister, barrister
Simon Goldstone, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Keith Gordon, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
Karen Gough, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Charles Graham, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Nicola Greaney, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Paul Greatorex, barrister, 11KBW
Victoria Green, barrister, 1 King's Bench Walk
John Greenbourne, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Kevin Grego , barrister, Citadel Chambers
Julian Gregory, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Rose Grogan, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Jeffrey Gruder QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Clare Grundy, barrister, St Johns Buildings
Amit Gupta, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Cara Guthrie, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
Admas Habteslasie, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Matthew Hall, barrister, Kings Chambers
Jacob Hallam, barrister, 6KBW
David Halpern QC, barrister, 4 New Square
Peter Hamilton, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Gavin Hamilton, barrister, 3 Paper Buildings
Mark Hapgood QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Jillian Harbord, barrister, Consultant, GN Law
John Hardy QC, barrister, Three Raymond Buildings

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Ivan Hare, barrister, Blackstone Chambers, formerly fellow of Trinity College

Cambridge
William Harman, pupil barrister, 4 New Square
Vivienne Harpwood, barrister (non-practising), Professor of Medical Law,
Cardiff University
Russell Harris QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Neil Hart, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Geoffrey Hartwell, barrister (retd)
James Hatt, barrister, 4 Pump Court
David Heaton, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Katie Helmore, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Patrick Hennessey, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Denys Hickey, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Georgia Hicks, barrister, Devereux Chambers
William Hicks QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Thomas Hill QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Georgina Hirsch, barrister, Devereux Chambers
Jonathan Hirst QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Isabel Hitching, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
John Hobson QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Andrew Hochhauser QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Laura Hocknell, barrister, Carmelite Chambers
Stephen Hofmeyr QC, barrister, 7KBW
David Holland QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Maurice Holmes, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Aelred Hookway, barrister, Zenith Chambers
William Hooper, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Philippa Hopkins, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Stuart Hornett, barrister, Selborne Chambers
Henry Hoskins, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Stephen Houseman QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Laura Hoyano, barrister, and Associate Professor of Law, Red Lion Chambers
Richard Hoyle, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Jacqueline Humphreys, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Prof J Martin Hunter, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Joshua Hunter, barrister (non-practising)
Sara Hunton, barrister, Field Court Chambers
Victoria Hutton, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Sara Ibrahim, barrister, 3 Hare Court
Saara Idelbi, barrister, 7 Bedford Row
Richard Jacobs QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Thomas Jefferies, barrister, Landmark Chambers
James Jenkin, barrister (retd)
Caroline Jennings, barrister, No5 Chambers
Anthony Johnson, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers
Schona Jolly, barrister, Cloisters
Rachel Jones, barrister, JUSTICE
Shaman Kapoor, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers
Phillippa Kaufmann QC, barrister, Matrix Chambers

10

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Bart Kavanagh, barrister (non-practising), Expert Witness and Dispute

Resolution Adviser, Probyn Miers
Jennifer Kay, barrister, Edmonds Marshall McMahon
James Keeley, barrister, 15 New Bridge Street Chambers
Ciaran Keller, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Matthias Kelly QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
The Rt Hon Sir Paul Kennedy, retired Judge of the Court of Appeal of England
and Wales
Christopher Kennedy QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Paul Key QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Daniel Khoo, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Justin Kitson, barrister, Selborne Chambers
Stephen Knafler QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Keith Knight, barrister, Sarum Chambers
Adam Kramer, barrister, 3 Verulam Buildings
Lara Kuehl, barrister, Selborne Chambers
Stefan Kuppen, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Nigel Lambert QC, barrister, Carmelite Chambers
Toby Landau QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Anna Laney, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Gloria Langrin, barrister, attorney-at-law, 93 East Street, Jamaica
Rachel Law, barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
Sarah Lawrenson, barrister, Kings Chambers
Robert Lazarus, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Jacqueline Lean, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Jessica Lee, barrister, 1 Garden Court
Samantha Leek QC, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Andrew Legg, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Marika Lemos, barrister, Devereux Chambers
Maya Lester QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Juliette Levy, barrister, Cerulean Chambers
Nathalie Lieven QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Christopher Limb, barrister, 18 St John Street Chambers
Stephen Linehan QC, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Marisa Lloyd, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
David Lock QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Andrew Lyall, barrister (non-practising)
Karlia Lykourgou, barrister, Chambers of John Coffey QC
Richard Lynagh QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Timothy Lyons QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Robert Machell, pupil barrister, 20 Essex Street
Daisy Mackersie, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Alexander Macpherson, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Rebecca Major, barrister, Chair of Middle Temples Equality, Diversity and
Social Mobility Sub-Committee
Peter Mant, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Athena Markides, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Philip Marshall QC, barrister, 1 King's Bench Walk
Jamie Mathieson, barrister, Serjeants' Inn Chambers
Stephen Mawson, barrister (retd)

11

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331.
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334.
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336.
337.
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339.
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341.
342.

David Maxwell, barrister, St Philips Chambers

James Maxwell-Scott QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Lynne McCafferty, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Duncan McCall QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Claire McCann, barrister, Cloisters
Hannah McCarthy, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Sara McCarthy, barrister, No5 Chambers
Louise McCullough, barrister, Charter Chambers
Mark McDonald, barrister, Mansfield Chambers
Matthew McGhee, barrister, 20 Essex Street
Paul McGrath, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers
Francis McGrath, barrister, 23 Essex Street
Paul McGrath QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Andrew McIntyre, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Greame McPherson QC, barrister, 4 New Square
James Medd, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Jennifer Meech, barrister, Enterprise Chambers
Eric Metcalfe, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Edward Meuli , barrister, Maitland Chambers
David Mildon QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Sean Minihan , barrister, 35 Bedford Row
Christopher Moger QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Iqbal Mohammed, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Salim Moollan QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Andrew Moran QC, barrister, The Arbitration Chambers
James Morgan, barrister, St Philips Stone Chambers
Stephen Morgan, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Matthew Morrison, barrister, Serle Court
His Excellency Judge Sir Howard Morrison KCMG CBE QC
Malcolm Morse, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Timothy Morshead QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Helen Morton, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Philip Moser QC, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Nadia Motraghi, barrister, Old Square Chambers
Richard Mott, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Bibek Mukherjee, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Jack Murphy, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
David Myhill, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Michael Mylonas QC, barrister, Serjeants' Inn Chambers
Philip Nathan, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Oliver Newman, barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
William Norris QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Rachael O'Hagan, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Ben Olborne, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Robert O'Leary, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
David Osborne, barrister, Chambers of David Osborne
Ligia Osepciu, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Nicholas Ostrowski, barrister, Six Pump Court Chambers
Zoe O'Sullivan, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Derek O'Sullivan QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

12

343.
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381.
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383.
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385.
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387.
388.
389.
390.
391.
392.

Daniel Oudkerk QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers

Claire Packman, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Rupert Paines, barrister, 11KBW
Claire Palmer, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Robert Palmer, barrister, Monckton Chambers
Thomas Pascoe, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Sanjay Patel, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Chris Petch, barrister (non-practising)
David Peters, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Fionn Pilbrow, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Ben Pilling QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Charles Pimlott, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
David Platt QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Greg Plunkett, barrister, Exchange Chambers
Gordon Pollock QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Anthony Potter, barrister, No5 Chambers
James Potts, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
James Pretsell, barrister, Farrar's Building
James Quirke, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Laurence Rabinowitz QC, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Anne Redston, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
Hefin Rees QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Clare Reffin, barrister, One Essex Court Chambers
Karen Reid, barrister, 1 Gray's Inn Square
Claudia Renton, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Shannon Revel, barrister, Great James Street Chambers
Jenni Richards QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Philip Riches, barrister, 20 Essex Street
Bernard Richmond QC, barrister, Lamb Building
Philip Ridgway, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
Simon Rippon, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Stuart Ritchie QC, barrister, Fountain Court
Adam Robb, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Nathan Roberts, barrister, Cloisters
Aidan Robertson QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Paul Rogers, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
Judith Rowe QC, barrister, Bencher of Grays Inn
Alex Ruck Keene, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Jane Russell, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Vikram Sachdeva QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Zac Sammour, barrister, 11KBW
Amy Sander, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Heather Sargent, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Professor Daniel Sarooshi, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Fiona Scolding, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
David Scorey QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Katie Scott, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Jamie Scott, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Rosie Scott, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Robert Scrivener, barrister, 4 Pump Court

13

393.
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430.
431.
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442.

David Sears QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers

Jonathan Selby, barrister, Keating Chambers
Daniel Shapiro, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Professor Malcolm Shaw, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Daniel Shaw, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
James Sheehan, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Anthony Shelton, barrister (non-practising) and solicitor, Norton Rose
Tom Shepherd, barrister, 4 New Square
Michael Sherry, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
Gideon Shirazi, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Richard Siberry QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Ravi Sidhu, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Tyrone Silcott, barrister, Charter Chambers
Michael Silverleaf QC, barrister, 11 South Square Chambers
Samantha Singer, barrister, Queen Elizabeth Chambers
Sam Skinner, barrister, KCH Garden Square
Christopher Smith QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Andrew Smith QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Joe Smouha QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Steven Snowden, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Christopher Sokol QC, barrister, Temple Tax Chambers
George Spalton, barrister, 4 New Square
Paula Sparks, barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
Myriam Stacey, barrister, Landmark Chambers
George Stafford, barrister (non-practising)
Paul Stanley QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
John Steel QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Alex Stein, barrister, No5 Chambers
Nigel Stelling, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Jessica Stephens, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Daniel Sternberg, barrister, 9-12 Bell Yard
Roger Stewart QC, barrister, 4 New Square
Karen Steyn QC, barrister, 11KBW
Jeremy Storey QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Jemima Stratford QC, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Rebecca Stubbs QC, barrister, Maitand Chambers
Anne Studd QC, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Lauren Suding, barrister, Field Court Chambers
Rachel Sullivan, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Andrew Tabachnik, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Ali Tabari, barrister and mediator, St Philips Stone Chambers
Carlo Taczalski, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Nicholas Taggart, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Nicholas Tatlow, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Adam Taylor, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Reuben Taylor QC, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Simon Teasdale, pupil barrister, 4 New Square
Adam Temple, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Mark Templeman QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Roger ter Haar QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers

14

443.
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487.
488.
489.
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491.
492.

Colin Thomann, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers

Charlotte Thomas, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
Stephen Thomas, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Mark Thomas, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Alexander Thompson, barrister, 20 Essex Street
Mark Thompson, barrister, Coulson Read Lewis Solicitors
Matthew Thorne, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Susan Todd, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Nigel Tozzi QC, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Anthony Trace QC, barrister, Maitland Chambers
Gregory Treverton Jones QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Stephen Tromans QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
James Trumble, barrister, Field Court Chambers
Harry Trusted, barrister, Outer Temple Chambers
Linda Turnbull, barrister, 1 Gray's Inn Square
Ryan Turner, barrister (commencing pupillage in September 2017)
David Turner QC, barrister, 4 New Square
Richard M Tyrrell, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Tom Tyson, barrister, Zenith Chambers
Augustus Ullstein, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Zoe van den Bosch, barrister, 23 Essex Street
Yaaser Vanderman, barrister, Landmark Chambers
William Vandyck, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
John Vater QC MCIArb, barrister, Harcourt Chambers
Charlotte Ventham, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Anthony Verduyn, barrister, St Philips Chambers
Josh Viney, barrister, 1 Hare Court Chambers
Victoria von Wachter, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Jonathan Waite QC, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Victoria Wakefield, barrister, Brick Court Chambers
William F Waldron QC, barrister, Exchange Chambers
Damien Walker, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Sarah Walker, barrister, Selborne Chambers
Alaric Walmsely, barrister, 7 Harrington Street Chambers
Galina Ward, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Felix Wardle, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Toby Watkin, barrister, Landmark Chambers
James Watthey, barrister, 4 Pump Court
His Honour Charles Welchman, Circuit Judge 1998-2013
Daniel White, barrister, Citadel Chambers
Nicholas Wilcox, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Sean Wilken QC, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Emma Williams, barrister, Erskine Chambers
Jack R Williams, barrister, Monckton Chambers
A John Williams, barrister, Crown Office Chambers
Fiona Williams, barrister, 2-3 Hind Court Chambers
Benjamin Williams QC, barrister, 4 New Square
Jonathan Wills, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Richard Wilmot-Smith, barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
Emily Wilsdon, barrister, Temple Garden Chambers

15

493.
494.
495.
496.
497.
498.
499.
500.
501.
502.
503.
504.
505.

Ian Wise QC, barrister, Monckton Chambers

Mark Wonnacott QC, barrister, Maitland Chambers
Benjamin Wood, barrister, 4 New Square
The Rt Hon Lord Woolf CH PC FBA FMedSci, formerly Master of the Rolls and
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Georgina Woolfe, barrister, 5 Essex Court
Adam Woolnough, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Samuel Wordsworth QC, barrister, Essex Court Chambers
Benedict Wray, barrister, Serjeants Inn Chambers
Harry Wright, barrister, 7KBW
Sara Wyeth, barrister, Goldsmith Chambers
Luke Wygas, barrister, 4 Pump Court
Katrina Yates, barrister, Landmark Chambers
Can Yeginsu, barrister, 4 New Square

The following student members of the Inns of Court and other stakeholders have also
asked to subscribe their names to indicate their support for this letter:
Yetunde Akinfenwa
M Tashdid Anwar
David Barnes, Chief Executive, 39 Essex Chambers

Nigel Bousfield
Anna Brailsford
Kimberley Dougan
Zarqa Farouq
Wentworth Cecil Gurney
Rema Ince
Reena Jogeedoo
John King
Philippe Kuhn

Carolyn McCombe, Chief Executive, 4 Pump Court

Elina Nhinda-Latvio
Dr William Onorato, Member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United
States
James Orrell
Jothi Reddy
Hesketh Richards
Joel Semakula
Jack Taylor
Melissa Taylor
Thomas van der Merwe
Lee Wood

CC:
(1) Sir Michael Pitt, Chairman, Legal Services Board
(2) Andrew Langdon QC, Chairman, Bar Council
(3) The Rt. Hon. Sir Oliver Heald QC MP, Minister of State for Courts and Justice

16