This podcast is for anyone who is Bar curious, listeners get honest insights into life at the Bar. Elizabeth Bowden a civil and family barrsiter at College Chambers in Southampton chats with Zoe Hanson and tells her the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Whether you want to know what it is really like to be a barrister, or how to work with a barrister or how to manage having a barrister in your life, this podcast will tell you all you want to know.
Listen to episodes
8 recent
September 25, 2024Episode 249 min
What do clerks actually do?
In this episode, Elizabeth and Zoe ask JP Schulz, Senior Clerk at College Chambers, what he actually does.
JP tells us about this truly unique career, how he got his first clerks job, how the world of clerking has changed and some of the more strange requests he has had.
JP spills the beans on some of the weird and wonderful situations he has encountered in his career. We also discuss hours, pay, and career options.
This episode will be good for you if you are interested in clerking, either as a career or simply to better understand what happens in a clerk's room—or if you want a heads-up before you start pupillage.
July 14, 2024Episode 11 hr 6 min
Expert witnesses, what's all that about?
Dr Louise Newbury, a paediatrician and expert witness
in child protection, shares her journey from medicine to an expert witness. She discusses the importance of being in court and the adrenaline rush
it provides. Dr Newbury explains the role of a paediatrician and the challenges of assessing and communicating with young patients. She also talks about the process of becoming an expert witness and the critical role they play in court cases. Barrister Elizabeth Bowden joins the conversation to discuss the relationship between barristers and expert witnesses and the importance of their collaboration. In this conversation, Louise discusses her role as an expert witness in court cases involving child protection. She emphasizes the importance of being polite and respectful in court and highlights the need for barristers to avoid demeaning the expert. Louise also shares insights into her workload and the challenges of managing multiple cases simultaneously. She discusses the meticulous process of reviewing medical records and preparing reports and the importance of supervision and peer review in her profession. The
conversation concludes with a discussion of potential improvements to the court system, including establishing specialist centres for child protection cases.
***Warning: this episode contains references to child sexual abuse***
Keywords
expert witness, court, paediatrician, child protection,
medicine, assessment, communication, opinion, evidence, expert witness, court cases, child protection, barristers, workload, medical records, supervision,
peer review, court system
Takeaways
Expert witnesses are a crucial tool in winning court cases as they are the only ones who can provide evidence of opinions.
Being in court as an expert witness can be an adrenaline rush and a fascinating experience.
Paediatricians play a vital role in assessing and treating children, relying on body language and other signs to understand their condition.
Becoming an expert witness requires additional qualifications and training in the specific area of expertise.Barristers'interactionsExpert witnesses and barristers work together as a team to present the best possible case in court. Being polite and respectful in court is crucial for barristers when interacting with expert witnesses are crucial.
Expert witnesses have a heavy workload and must carefully manage their time and cases.
Reviewing medical records and preparing reports requires meticulous attention to detail.
Supervision and peer review are important for maintaining the quality and independence of expert opinions.
Specialist centres for child protection cases could improve the efficiency and quality of expert reports in the court system.
Time stamps
00:00 Introduction and the Role of Expert Witnesses
02:49 The Fascination of Being in Court
08:12 Assessing and Treating Children as a Pediatrician
13:13 Becoming an Expert Witness
22:53 The Collaboration Between Expert Witnesses and Barristers
33:59 The Importance of Politeness and Respect in Court
35:25 Managing a Heavy Workload as an Expert Witness
36:17 The Meticulous Process of Reviewing Medical Records
39:39 The Role of Supervision and Peer Review in Expert Work
45:13 The Financial Aspects of Being a Court Expert
50:49 The Challenges of Scheduling and Timelines
56:19 Improving the Court System with Specialist Centers for Child Protection Cases
01:02:00 What Makes a Good Barrister and Expert
February 1, 2024Episode 653 min
The Road to Conversion, switching to the better half of the profession and other insights
Elizabeth Bowden and Zoe Hanson grill Carl Geary (Head of Civil at College Chambers) on how and why he switched from solicitor to barrister. Elizabeth takes the opportunity to find out what solicitors really want from barristers and what solicitors hate barristers doing. Listen to this episode if you are interested in either switching to the better half of the profession (!) or understanding what solicitors want.
December 9, 2023Episode 530 min
Mini-pupils: Find your inner (Victorian) child
What are the unspoken expectations of mini-pupillage and 1st Six? In this episode, Elizabeth tells you what a barrister really wants when they have a mini-pupil or a 1st Six pupil in the first few weeks of pupillage. This episode peeks further behind the curtain for anyone who is 'Bar curious' and offers insight for pupils.
September 29, 2023Episode 431 min
Get the most from your barrister
Are you working with a barrister, or do you have one in your life? We are unique people, and we have a lot to offer. I want to help you get 110% from your barrister. It's not all about us winning arguments all the time.
August 25, 2023Episode 331 min
When Briefs are not briefs. The secret language of barristers.
If you have ever walked into a room and thought I know this is English, but I have no idea what they are talking about. Barristers have a secret language. This podcast will help decode some of it.
Elizabeth and Zoe laugh their way through the quirks and oddities of the very traditional legal profession. Listen in, and next time you are watching a legal drama, on a court visit or doing a mini-pupillage, see how much you know.
July 28, 2023Episode 239 min
From Bar School to Barrister
What barristers really think of your application form and other insights you really need to know. Elizabeth gives you Nothing But The Truth.
July 5, 2023Episode 129 min
Getting to know me
Have you ever wished that you had a friend, or a friend of a friend, whom you could go to and ask anything about being a barrister? And when you asked, the answer would be 'Nothing but the Truth'?Then this is the podcast for you.
Whether you are an aspiring barrister or just barrister curious, this podcast aims to decode, demystify and make the Bar accessible.
Zoe Hanson gets conversational with Elizabeth Bowden, a civil and family barrister at College Chambers, Southampton, who works on the Western Circuit.
In Episode 1, you can listen as Elizabeth and Zoe talk about how Elizabeth picked 'barrister' as her career and whether the stress of being a barrister is worth it.
"Sometimes the lows are so low that I go home and cry ... but I could not do any other job."
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