The Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee
young Bar section of the Bar Council website, which includes young Bar blogs with updates on the committee’s work and other useful resources. The YBC has a dedicated Twitter account (@YoungBarristers) to ensure information is easily accessible and there is real-time communication on training, events and other issues of interest to young barristers Court reform and technology The YBC has been involved in the Bar Council’s work on court reform for several years. This involves contributing to Bar Council responses to the relevant consultations and attending meetings at the Ministry of Justice and with the senior judiciary in order to ensure that the young Bar’s perspective is taken into account. The YBC has made clear any potential issues concerning access to justice, open justice and the right to a fair trial, as well as highlighting potential adverse effects on young barristers. During the covid-19 crisis, the YBC was heavily involved in discussions with HMCTS and the Prisoner Escort and Custody Service around court safety, remote working and communication between HMCTS and the profession. The YBC has strongly advocated against extended operating hours because of the impact on access to justice, the wellbeing of barristers and the impact on diversity at the young Bar. In connection with the above, the past year has also seen a renewed focus on both the positive and potentially negative aspects of technology on barristers’ professional lives, including the link to the YBC’s work on wellbeing. Remuneration The cuts to legal aid brought in by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 reduced the availability
The Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC) is part of the Bar Council of England & Wales, representing barristers in all areas of practice who are in their first seven years at the Bar. Itsmain terms of reference are to advise the representative committees of the Bar Council on all matters of concern to young barristers; to liaisewith the Bar Standards Board (BSB) on suchmatters as necessary; and to promote the interests of the young Bar. The YBCwas established in 1954 and although it started as an “experiment for a period of one year”, it continues to flourish as one of the Bar Council’s principal representative committees. It counts among its former chairs Sir Terence Etherton; former Court of Appeal judge Lord JusticeMcCombe; Mr Justice Lavender; and the former Recorder of London, HHJ HilliardQC. What do we do? The aimof the YBC is to represent the young Bar and ensure its voice is heard, and to ensure that support and provision is made for young barristers. This is done through representing the interests of the young Bar both internally in the Bar Council and externally to government, the judiciary, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the Inns of Court and others involved in training and regulating barristers, and those with whom barristers may interact in their working lives. This work includes responding to consultation papers that are issued by various organisations, attendingmeetings and providing the invaluable perspective of the young Bar, holding events that often feature young barristers and creating guides such as the recently published Inside Guide to Life at the Bar. Some YBCmembers are elected, while others are co-opted to ensure that membership is diverse and includes representatives fromeach of the circuits and from all areas of practice. Young Bar communications The main source of information for young barristers, provided by the YBC, is on the
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