Chair’s Update – 01.03.19

Block listing

1. Darryl Allen QC & Derek Sweeting QC have met members of the HMCTS London (Civil) management team to discuss listing practices in the London County Courts, in particular block listing, last minute cancellation of trials and adjournment of trials.  It was agreed that HMCTS would investigate listing practices in those Courts with a view to gathering data and information to improve listing.  They are due to meet again in March and we will report further when we know more. 

2. Derek Sweeting QC has secured Bar Council funding for an independent study of listing practices and their effects upon the administration of justice.

Flexible Operating Hours [“FOH”]

3. Sarah Crowther QC is representing PIBA on the HMCTS FOH Evaluation Advisory Committee, the next meeting of which is on 05.03.19.

4. Richard Whitehall is  representing PIBA on the Manchester FOH Pilot Stakeholder Committee, the first meeting of which was on 28.02.19.

5. Steps are being taken to secure representation for PIBA on the Brentford pilot.

Ethics

6. Stephen Kenny QC and Charlotte Reynolds, members of the Bar Council Ethics Committee, spoke at the PIBA London Winter Conference on ethical issues for personal injury practitioners.  Their power point presentation has been placed on the PIBA website and can be accessed here (you will need to be logged into the website).  Charlotte and Derek Sweeting QC will be giving an ethics lecture at the Annual conference in Oxford when these issues can be discussed further. 

Swift v. Carpenter

7. PIBA is hoping to intervene in the Roberts v Johnstone appeal in Swift v Carpenter.  PIBA knows no more about the date of the appeal beyond what is stated on the Court of Appeal case tracker – namely that it has a hearing date of “by 31 July 2019”

As ever, if you have any information or questions you wish to bring to the attention of the EC, please contact your Circuit Rep or any office holder on the EC.

Yours,

Darryl Allen QC

PIBA Chair

Latest Events