Bar Council Launches New Brussels Office

The Bar Council has today( 30 May 2008) launched its new Brussels office. The new office will be shared with the European arms of other legal organisations such as the German Federal Bar, the Law Societies of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Austrian Bar. The move will allow the English Bar to deepen its relationships with European legal professional bodies and their members and provide the Bar Council with opportunities to benefit from discussions and joint initiatives with their counterparts concerning current and future EU developments.

Chairman of the Bar, Tim Dutton QC, will open the new offices. The Bar Council’s European Union Committee will continue to maintain a close relationship with the new office, which will offer new opportunities for the Bar to expand its reach into the EU and develop contacts with European Bar associations.

The Brussels office (originally opened in 1999) acts as the hub for the Bar in Europe, facilitating representation on a wide range of EU issues of law and policy which directly affect practitioners and their clients, including publicly funded practitioners with criminal and family practices. With the new premises, and the co-location with other Bars and Law Societies, the Bar Council will be able to respond more swiftly and effectively to policy initiatives and developments, communicating the knowledge and expertise of the English Bar to European policy makers.

Working closely with other European legal associations will allow the Bar Council to benefit from synergies in its activities, and to spearhead cross-border projects within the EU. The Bar Council’s new office offers Wi-Fi and meeting rooms and other modern, accessible facilities to all its members visiting Brussels for professional purposes. This is part of the Bar Council’s drive to improve its services to members and to ensure that the high quality services of the Bar are readily accessible in Europe and elsewhere.

Commenting on the launch of the new office, Chairman of the Bar Tim Dutton QC said:

‘I am delighted to announce the move to our new premises, which are only a stone’s throw away from the European Parliament and the European Commission. The presence of the Bar Council in Brussels is a vital part of our international strategy, allowing us to contribute our expertise both to those who shape policy at the heart of the European decision-making process, and to those who need the high quality skills of the profession in the heart of Europe”.

‘The new offices offer much improved facilities and proximity to the institutions of the EU which will allow the Bar Council to engage more effectively with officials, MEPs and legal professionals across Europe. The Bar Council’s international work is a vital part of its remit, and we look forward to continuing to expand our efforts in this field’.