B-CLIPS Scheme
We will be updating the website shortly with a separate page on the Birmingham Chancery Litigants In Person Scheme, but for now please see here for details of the scheme and how to volunteer for it.
Birmingham BPC Women’s Network – A Message from our Chair
Dear all,
I’m delighted to announce the launch of the ‘Birmingham BPC Women’s Network’. We hope to organise a few social events a year for female BPC practitioners and the female judiciary who sit in the Birmingham BPC (full and part time).
Our first event will be for female MCCBA members and the female judiciary, held at No5 Chambers, 103 Colmore Row, Birmingham from 5pm on 6 November 2024.
HHJ Emma Kelly, who has supported me making this idea a reality, will say a few introductory words, and we will have drinks, refreshments and an opportunity to socialise and get to know each other better. We hope the events will promote a sense of inclusivity for women working in our practice area and we aim, over time, to boost retention rates for women.
I really hope that lots of you will support this first event. It would be great to get a really strong turn out.
Please rsvp (for the purposes of understanding catering needs) to me directly at chair@mccba.co.uk (please note the gender neutral change to the email address!!)
Best wishes,
Louise
Louise Corfield
MCCBA Chair
MCCBA Chair
Applications for the MCCBA Black Mini Pupillage Scheme
Applications are now open for the MCCBA’s Black Mini Pupillage Scheme, which is aimed at increasing and promoting the diversity of barristers in our practice area in which Black barristers are underrepresented.
Details of the Scheme are available here and you can download an application form (MS Word) here.
Birmingham BPC Form Event 24 September 2024 – Mr Justice Foxton
The MCCBA and Birmingham Law Society, as part of the Birmingham Business and Property Courts Forum, are delighted to present the latest in our series of events. The former Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court, Mr Justice Foxton, will speak on “Ten Great Courtroom Dramas and What We Can Learn From Them”. This event will also be an opportunity to introduce Mr Justice Michael Green as the incoming Business and Property Courts Supervising Judge for the Midland, Western and Wales Circuits and Mr Justice Henshaw as the new Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court. Drinks will follow the presentation, to provide a networking forum for the whole dispute resolution community.
Please click here for event and booking details
Panel Recording – FDR Hearings in the Birmingham BPC
Our recent talk and discussion panel on Financial Dispute Resolution hearings in the Birmingham Business and Property Courts, featuring HHJ Williams.
Appointment of Lord Justice Zacaroli
The Committee and Members of the MCCBA are delighted by the announcement that Mr Justice Zacaroli, Supervising Judge for the Business and Property Courts on the Midlands, West and Wales Circuits, has been appointed to the Court of Appeal.
We are thrilled to see His Lordship’s well-deserved promotion and hugely grateful for everything he has done for those on Circuit whilst he has been our supervising judge. We wish him well in his new appointment.
17th June – FDR Hearings in the Birmingham Business and Property Courts
On 17 June 2024 the MCCBA will be hosting a panel event alongside the Birmingham BPC Forum discussing FDR Hearings in the Birmingham Business and Property Courts. The panel will be hosted by HHJ Williams and include solicitors and barristers who will be discussing the practicalities of FDR hearings and how to get the most out of them.
The event will start at 5.30pm at No5 Chambers at 103 Colmore Row, with drinks and samosas. The panel discussion will start at 6.30pm. Both solicitors and barristers can attend this event, so it will also be a great opportunity to network with chancery and commercial practitioners from across the Midlands.
Please RSVP to secretary@mccba.co.uk if you would like to attend.
MCCBA Annual Dinner – 17th May 2024
The MCCBA Annual Dinner for 2024 will take place on 17th May 2024 at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham. Our guest speaker will be Mr Justice Zacaroli, the Business and Property Courts Supervising Judge for the Midland Circuit.
An invitation has been sent to all MCCBA members – if you have not received this, please contact secretary@mccba.co.uk
Practice Development Seminar – 1st May 2024, 6pm
6pm to 8pm at 3PB Birmingham, The Colmore Building, 20 Colmore Circus, B4 6AT
Open to MCCBA members and to pupil barristers interested in Chancery and Commercial law.
Want to boost your career development and improve your current trajectory?
Aimed at Business and Property barristers who are in their first 10 years of practice, this panel discussion will be hosted by Ali Tabari (St Phillips Chambers) with contributions from DDJ Simon Bradshaw and DDJ Rebecca Keeves (both of Cornwall St Chambers) and Louise Corfield (No5 Chambers). This discussion will observe The Chatham House Rule, to allow for honest questions and frank answers and will cover topics including:
- How to promote yourself and build your profile inc social media
- Professional and internal Networking
- Getting into the directories and progressing within them
- Building relationships with the judiciary
- Part time judicial appointments
- Having the right relationship with your clerks
- Developing your CV within and outside of the bar
RSVP to secretary@mccba.co.uk
Webinar – Committal Procedure and Practice: The New CPR Pt 81
Tuesday 18th May, 6 pm to 7 pm – online Webinar via Zoom.
Part 81 of the Civil Procedure Rules was comprehensively overhauled in October 2020, simplifying and streamlining the procedure for committal for contempt. In this MCCBA online seminar Simon Bradshaw (Cornwall Street Barristers) will describe the new rules and review the key elements of committal applications, and His Honour Judge Rawlings will give a judicial perspective of committal hearings.
Please join by following this link and entering your details on the booking page together with any advance questions for the panellists. This event is open to non-members so do please forward the link to any colleagues who you think may be interested.
COVID-19: Notice to Birmingham Court Users (QBD and CC)
His Honour Judge Worster, Acting Designated Civil Judge for Birmingham, has released updated guidance as to the operation of the Birmingham High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) and the County Court at Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notice for Court Users – Birmingham QB and County Court (revised 18 May 2020) v3
Annual Dinner Cancellation
In light of the current risk posed by COVID-19, it has been decided, with regret, to cancel the annual dinner on 20 March 2020 (this Friday).
At present, the plan is to re-arrange the dinner for a date in the late Summer/early Autumn. The committee will be in touch with further details when they are decided.
MCCBA Annual Dinner, Friday 20th March 2020 – NOW CANCELLED
The MCCBA is delighted to announce that we are honoured to be hosting Lord Justice Newey as the guest speaker for our 2020 Annual Dinner, which will take place on Friday 20th March at Hotel du Vin, Birmingham.
Lord Justice Newey will be familiar to members through his role as our previous presider in the Business and Property Courts in Birmingham.
Please RSVP to the Secretary to confirm attendance and provide details of any dietary requirements.
UPDATE 16th MARCH: Regrettably, owing to the COVID-19 situation, this event has been cancelled. The MCCBA Committee plans to re-arrange the dinner for later in the year.
Mohammed Zaman QC – our new Chairman
The committee of the MCCBA is delighted to announce that Mohammed Zaman QC is to be the new Chairman of the Association in succession to Ed Pepperall QC, who as previously announced is appointed to the High Court.
Ed Pepperall QC appointed to the High Court
The Committee and members of the MCCBA are delighted to be able to congratulate our Chairman, Ed Pepperall QC, on his appointment as a High Court Judge.
Judicial Appointments Commission: Appointment as High Court Judge
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary: High Court Judge Appointments
Ed will be very much missed both by the Association and the Midlands Bar, but we all wish him the very best in his new appointment.
UK Stem Cell Foundation – donations in memory of HH Charles Purle QC
In memory of the late HH Charles Purle QC his daughter Sally has set up a page to collect donations to the UK Stem Cell Foundation.
Guide to the Business and Property Courts – Update
The LexisNexis/MCCBA guide to the Business and Property Courts in Birmingham has been updated to note the revised name of the Property, Trusts and Probate List.
Business and Property Courts in Birmingham (PDF, 3MB)
Business and Property Courts in Birmingham – Launch Reception
Following the official opening today of the Business and Property Courts in Birmingham by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, this evening saw Birmingham Civil Justice Centre host senior members of the judiciary, local dignitaries and judges, and members of the legal profession to a reception to mark this new era for the Birmingham courts. Guests heard from Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Mr Justice Coulson, Mr Justice Newey and Sir Brian Leveson, all of whom have been deeply involved in setting up the new Business and Property Courts and establishing them in Birmingham. A small selection of the many who attended are pictured below.
(Pictures © S Bradshaw, S Carr and MCCBA, taken with the kind permission of HMCTS.)
MCCBA Chairman named Barrister of the Year
MCCBA Chairman, Ed Pepperall QC, was last night named Barrister of the Year at the Birmingham Law Society’s annual awards event.
MCCBA welcomes Judge McCahill QC back home
The MCCBA tonight threw a drinks reception to welcome His Honour Judge Patrick McCahill QC back to Birmingham upon his appointment as the city’s fourth Chancery judge. Judge McCahill practised for many years as a Chancery and commercial barrister from St Philips Chambers and its predecessor set, Priory Chambers (previously 2 Fountain Court). He was also a founder member of the Association. Called in 1975, McCahill took silk in 1996. He was appointed a circuit judge in 2001 and appointed as the Bristol Chancery judge in 2007.
MCCBA Chairman, Ed Pepperall QC, said “The Association is delighted to welcome Judge Patrick McCahill QC back to Birmingham. He was a very successful Chancery & Commercial barrister in the city before his appointment as Chancery judge in Bristol. He returns to us after 10 years’ exile with an excellent reputation as a popular and respected judge. Birmingham can now boast an exceptionally strong Chancery bench as Patrick joins Judges Charles Purle QC, Simon Barker QC and David Cooke.”
MCCBA member James Morgan appointed Silk
The MCCBA congratulates James Morgan on being appointed as Queen’s Counsel.
More details of James and his appointment are available here.
(photo: St Philips Stone)