Bar chairman Dutton settles into the hot-seat

Today I spoke to Timothy Dutton QC, the chairman of the Bar. Timothy was born in 1957 and was called to the Bar in 1979, taking silk in 1998. He practises in general commercial, public, regulatory and administrative law, professional negligence and disciplinary work, including sports.

In his inaugural speech as chairman, Timothy said: “My job is to promote the Bar and our system not just at home but internationally. All of us are operating in an international market with English law as an attractive option in commercial disputes.

"In criminal law there is an increasingly international aspect to the work, and in family also. I intend to promote the values and skills of the Bar as advocates, arbitrators and mediators abroad.”

On the following podcast, we discuss the impact on the Bar of the Legal Services Act 2007 - direct access; VHCC contracts; the Neuberger report - and Timothy's own vision for his year as Bar chariman.

Listen to podcast