The Bar Council represents all barristers in England and Wales.
High Holborn, London
Joined June 2010
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Book your ticket for this year's Bar Conference on Saturday 14 November.
Our unique programme of expert speakers will debate the big issues and provide practical advice for career development.
Book now ➡️ bit.ly/4vQeipN
The Bar Council retweeted
Our report on evidence in sexual offences prosecutions, published last year, addresses the issues of juries and rape myths lawcom.gov.uk/project/eviden…
The Bar Council retweeted
"It's a little disappointing" to suggest that judges don't already direct juries against false rape preconceptions, says chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales, Kirsty Brimelow KC.
"That's been really established for around 20 years now."
As we’re being tagged in posts regarding complaints about barrister behaviour, we want to clarify that, as the Bar Council, we are the representative body for the profession.
Regulation of barristers is delegated to the Bar Standards Board (BSB). Reports to the BSB are confidential.
If you need support in relation to witnessing or experiencing bullying or harassment at the Bar you can also use Talk to Spot: bit.ly/3Vcyfd8
Employed junior under 7 years practice? Self-employed KC?
Represent your peers and stand for Bar Council from 2027.
Nominations for casual vacancies are open until Friday 30 October.
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/4ecRw4r
Got your ticket to Bar Conference yet?
Barrister, broadcaster and author Rob Rinder will be joining us to present the Lifetime Achievement in Pro Bono: the Sydney Elland Goldsmith Award and close out the programme before the drinks reception in the library.
See the rest of the programme and get your ticket ➡️ bit.ly/4wPl935
@RobbieRinder
The Sydney Elland Goldsmith Award is presented annually as part of the Bar Pro Bono Awards, organised by Advocate.
You can see the rest of the winners from this year's Bar Pro Bono Awards in the comments below. bit.ly/4i2WulF
We sent a briefing to MPs ahead of the report stage debate on the Courts and Tribunals Bill today.
Although we have been successful in defeating the Crown Court Bench Division Single Judge Court, we remain concerned concerned that a jury may be removed from hearing fraud cases.
We also object to other clauses in the Bill, including increasing magistrates’ sentencing powers and removing the right to elect.
Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC and our teams continue to convey the Bar's concerns to the government.
Read our MP briefing document ➡️ bit.ly/4s1tEGJ
#JusticeNeedsJuries
Help us gather information about the late delivery of prisoners to criminal, family or youth courts.
If your case has been delayed due to the late delivery of individuals in custody to court, report it to us. Please submit a report each time you experience a delay.
Make a report now - bit.ly/43y7TCS
Today we celebrate the government recognising that #JusticeNeedsJuries and listening to the expertise and experience of the Bar - but the fight goes on.
We continue to oppose the government's proposal to remove the right to elect and increase magistrates’ sentencing powers.
The magistrates’ courts are not coping with their caseload whilst the Crown Court backlog is stabilising. Putting more pressure on the magistrates’ courts rather than focusing on reforms that actually are working in reducing delays in the Crown Court will not help our criminal justice system.
Read our Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC's full response to yesterday's announcement in this new blog⤵️
Justice prevails – the government has announced it will no longer be scrapping jury trials.
This is a huge win for our #Justiceneedsjuries campaign. Thank you to the Criminal Bar Association, all the Circuit leaders and everyone who wrote and spoke to their MP, signed our letter to the PM and attended our events.
The government has finally listened to the Bar’s unwavering opposition to restricting the right to a jury trial.
We have long called for the focus to be on fixing the swathe of inefficiencies plaguing the system – we know that many can be resolved, and that will make a difference now.
Read our full response⬇️
The Bar Council retweeted
Magistrates are to be given new powers to jail criminals for up to two years.
As part of Labour plans to combat record Crown Court delays, the Government is proposing to increase magistrates’ sentencing powers beyond the current maximum of 12 months.
They will be raised to 18 months with an option to go further and increase to 24 months in an attempt to keep some of the more serious cases out of the Crown Courts which have a backlog of more than 80,000 cases @AlexJJNorris @sarahsackman @andyburnham @ShabanaMahmood @CMcKinnellMP @AlexDaviesJones @JakeBenRichards @NJ_Timothy @MagsAssoc @TheCriminalBar @thebarcouncil @TheLawSociety @DannyShawNews @PoliceInspForum @JamesDRossiter @Kirsty_Brimelow @metpoliceuk telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10…
The Telegraph reports that the government is set to scrap its proposal to reduce the right to a jury trial.
It's encouraging that the government appears to be listening.
However, it is reportedly continuing with its proposals to remove the right of defendants to opt for a jury trial in 'either way' cases which can be heard in either the Crown Court or magistrates' court.
Our Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC told the Telegraph: "Parliament has decided certain offences are so serious to the public or defendant that the defendant is entitled to elect a jury trial. If this election is removed, what criteria would be applied? Would there be an appeal?
“The backlog in magistrates’ courts is rising much faster in the crown courts. This change might simply increase delays in the magistrates’ courts.”
Read more⬇️
#JusticeNeedsJuries
The Bar Council retweeted
A welcome sign that @andyburnham might be listening.
However, the focus has moved onto removal of a defendant’s right to elect in “either way offences”. These have been determined by Parliament to be of a seriousness that a defendant is entitled to choose a jury. Seriousness includes serious to the defendant- career might be over etc.
Let’s leave this alone and focus on the measures that bring down delays, including reclassifying offences that are “either way”
that should be summary only (we provided a list of 12 offences)
Risk of this proposal is adding complexity and more delays into the magistrates’ courts.
#justiceneedsjuries
.@andyburnham is set to scrap @Keir_Starmer plans for judge-only trials in a move that could head off a backbench rebellion @AlexJJNorris @AlexDaviesJones @sarahsackman @TheCriminalBar @thebarcouncil @Kirsty_Brimelow @JamesDRossiter @POAUnion @POAnatchair @PGA_Prisons @PRTuk @DannyShawNews @TheLawSociety @PoliceInspForum @NotThatBigIan @voice4victims telegraph.co.uk/politics/202…
Congratulations on your election @catkinson80. We look forward to working with you and @CommonsJustice
"Leave juries alone."
The Times reports today that the government is considering a different approach to the previous government on changes to criminal justice.
However, the proposals would still restrict the right to jury trial by giving judges the power to decide which cases go to a jury trial.
The government should move away from wasting further parliamentary time and resources on other jury restricting experiments, and focus on the actual issues that are causing delays in the system.
Our Chair @Kirsty_Brimelow KC explains on Times Radio this morning. ⬇️
#JusticeNeedsJuries
Listen to the rest of the interview from 1:36:32 - thetimes.com/radio/show/2026…
Our Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC was delighted to meet with Hiroshi Suzuki and his legal attaché Kensuke Kawate this afternoon.
The conversation focused on preparations for our upcoming inaugural visit to Japan, opportunities to develop commercial and arbitration work, and sharing of expertise.
The Japan visit, later this month, will focus on promoting England and Wales as a legal jurisdiction and building connections across the country's legal sector.
And of course no meeting with Japan's Ambassador to the UK would be complete without an appearance from his marmalade sandwich connoisseur.
@AmbJapanUK @JAPANinUK @Kirsty_Brimelow
Picture 1: Kirsty Brimelow KC, Paddington and Hiroshi Suzuki
Picture 2: Kensuke Kawate (Legal Attaché at the Embassy of Japan), Hannan Abdi (Policy Analyst at the Bar Council), Kirsty Brimelow KC, Hiroshi Suzuki and Piran Dhillon-Starkings (Adviser to the Chair of the Bar Council)
Picture 3: Kirsty Brimelow KC, Paddington and Hiroshi Suzuki