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Change at Lewes Crown Court News from the South Eastern Circuit THE CIRCUITEER INSIDE THIS ISSUE 8 9 10 12 19 Meeting of the Inns of Court John Downes 23rd Keble A view from the Chairs of the College of Alliot a tribute Course Naval Bar SEC Bar Messes Advocacy (ICCA) ALL CHANGE AT LEADER’S LEWES CROWN REPORT And so, the time has come for me to bid farewell as Leader of COURT this great Circuit. 2016 has been a time of change across Max Hill QC See page 3 the whole of the Criminal Justice System. Lewes Crown Court has seen significant change, with its three most experienced judges retiring in the space of a few months. See page 6 Wellbeing at the Bar Does our wellbeing depend on the respite we all seek to find in holidays or should it be more a part of our daily lives even whilst working. Valerie Charbit See page 22 Reflections of a Circuiteer CIRCUIT TRIP TO PARIS I was called to the Bar in 1963. To practice It has been a number of years since the last circuit trip, and at what was then called the Independent many more since the last to Paris. This diplomatic mission Bar, whether you intended to venture out was long overdue, and, as we discovered from the moment of London or not, you were required to we arrived, a venture enthusiastically welcomed by our join a Circuit. Parisian counterparts. See page 14 See page 5 Igor Judge THE CIRCUITEER Issue 42 / October 2016 1 News from the South Eastern Circuit EDITOR’S COLUMN Much has happened across or friends, we are reminded • 88% of trans people have the Circuit since the Spring of the transient nature of our experienced depression edition, with changes of flickering flames. This edition (compared with 25% in the Leadership of Specialist Bar highlights a few but we all wider community); more Associations and the Circuit know of others who need than 77% regularly use anti- itself – congratulations and remembering too. depressants and more than thank you to all those who are 60% have attempted suicide. Valerie Charbit continues to do willing to work on our behalf a fantastic job of highlighting It is no surprise that premier Karim Khalil QC in so many ways. the importance of Wellbeing at footballers remain entirely The American election has the Bar: encouraging members ‘heterosexual’ in the face of was an extraordinary day riding haunted international news for of our profession to speak knowing the personal and the closed roads of London too long and the impact of the more freely about mental financial consequences of and Surrey, ending with the Brexit vote has barely begun to health problems before they ‘coming out’. Even at the chance to watch the Olympic be understood – superficially become overwhelming: asking ‘educated’ Bar, the cumulative professionals fly down the steady economic figures for help should no longer be effects of ill-considered Mall in the late afternoon: they hide the underlying tensions seen as a sign of ‘weakness’ comments can take their made it look too easy! amongst many businesses and but is part of ensuring a toll: group conversations Once again, a fine array of professionals. Our readership more sustainable and healthy often involve the unspoken writing talent graces the pages can be sure of one thing – approach to working in assumption that everyone of The Circuiteer – of special government officials will try to one of the most pressured present is heterosexual which note are the reflections of avoid returning to the positive of professions. places a burden on those Igor Judge upon his time as a discussions that were close to who are not either to remain Forgive me a few lines of Circuiteer, reminding us that bringing financial stability to silent or to declare their own personal reflection in the hope life outside London has many many at the publicly funded sexuality ... every day. that the LGBT Bar initiatives rewards and often encourages Bar. Our representatives have will acquire the same degree I encourage everyone to some of the finest advocacy! an increased burden upon their of prominence since the links reflect on the impact of the He triumphed at the Circuit shoulders and will need your between the LGBT community language we use and to make dinner (and the wine was much help more than ever. and mental health issues our voices heard in trying appreciated too). Judicial retirements abound are widely documented, to overcome some of the My thanks to my sub-editor, as many have made way insufficiently appreciated and challenges arising from the Adam Morgan; Aaron Dolan for others, or are about to potentially catastrophic – a sexual orientation and gender who works tirelessly for the do so: the renewal of the few statistics, all of which are identity of our predominantly Circuit in so many ways; Sam Judiciary with young talent is prepared by comparison to the ‘invisible’ minorities. Sullivan for his typesetting a fascinating, almost organic heterosexual community: Thank you to those who patience and to all who have process, with changing times • LGB people are 50% more supported the Charitable call contributed to this edition. bringing changing faces and likely to experience long-term in my previous Editor’s Column attitudes. I’m sure that you join Carpe Diem mental health problems and – we raised upward of £17,000 me in thanking those who step are twice as likely to attempt (including a few “silent” aside and wishing those well, suicide, with LGB young people contributions) for Opportunity Karim Khalil QC who seek to fill their shoes. (up to the age of about 24yrs) International. I cannot There has been cause for being 6 times more likely to recommend the Prudential Drystone Chambers sadness too – losing colleagues attempt suicide. London100 cycle too highly – it Editor The Circuiteer If you wish to contribute any material to the next issue of The Circuiteer, please contact: [email protected] advice or support that she gave them as they Kate Mallison started out, and throughout their careers. She enjoyed all the Bar had to offer and her We were saddened to learn of Kate’s sudden, yet peaceful, passing on the 5th August. She influence extended far and wide. When news was fearlessly committed to the career that she started to spread the Chamber’s website host had dedicated her life to. Her recovery from a shut down our website fearing a cyber attack, serious illness, over a decade ago, to return to in fact it was over 4000 hits on Kate’s profile practice is a testament to her strength and her in 24 hours. It is fair to say that she would not courage. She served on the Thames Valley Bar shy away from expressing strong views but Mess committee for many years and was the you couldn’t help but feel disarmed as she Mess representative on the SEC committee. finished, as she always did, with a smile and an She was interested in those around her from “I’m sorry”. She will be missed not only by us in the most junior to the most senior. There are chambers but I suspect by many more of the many that owe her a debt of gratitude for the profession that she loved. 2 LEADER’S REPORT Max Hill QC OCT 2016 And so, the time has come for me to bid purpose, and continues to include the farewell as Leader of this great Circuit. brightest and the best advocates of My successor, unidentified at the time this generation and those yet to come. of writing, takes over on 1st January However, we are seeing members 2017, and I wish him or her every good and their sets complement this work fortune in representing the thousands with ever-increasing instruction in of barristers practising on the South private work (including ‘private’ criminal Eastern Circuit. Any individual can only defence work, often paid at rates just do their best, but it is the Leader’s great above the legal aid mark), regulatory good fortune to have the assistance or disciplinary work, or corporate and goodwill of the Circuit Officers, instructions stretching all the way Administrators and Committee. This is from local authorities to major City what sustains me throughout the two institutions. If you are one of the many years and two months of my Leadership. who are actively pushing yourself When I was elected in November 2014, my first entry on the and your practice into these areas, Circuit website contained these words: ‘Notwithstanding our more power to you. fight for survival, I believe that opportunity comes from adversity, and the qualification and experience we all have as members But that is not a complete answer to what I called the fight of the Bar can be used to sustain our careers in a variety of for survival, and it has been a fight. I also wrote in November hitherto untried ways, without abandoning self-employment, the 2014 ‘We must ensure that the Bar remains on the front foot in hallmark of the independent and fearless professional. There is our engagement with Government, to ensure that nobody in a much work to be done in ensuring that the skills of the criminal position of influence over the Criminal Justice System is allowed barrister are recognised and utilised by a far wider circle, not to forget the paramount importance of maintaining a properly- merely in criminal courts’. funded independent Bar, in the best interest of all who come before our criminal courts’. Through the Bar leadership, which It will be for you and others to judge, comprises the six Circuits of England & Wales together with the but I believe that the publicly-funded Criminal Bar Association and the Bar Council, you have kept on the front foot with Government, both before and after the 2015 Bar on this Circuit has proved its skill General Election, and before and after the Brexit referendum.
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