In this episode, Orlagh sits down with former Director General of the Bar Standards Board, Mark Neale.

Just weeks after retiring, Mark dives into the inner workings of the regulatory landscape that shapes the future of barristers and the justice system in England and Wales. Covering some of core topics at the Bar today, he shares candid insights on the cracks and opportunities within legal regulation including:

• Why the legal profession remains fiercely individual yet collectively pivotal to the rule of law

• How COVID sparked rapid innovation and highlighted operational vulnerabilities at the Bar Standards Board

• The critical role of AI in reducing costs and boosting quality, and the risks of reliance on untested technology

• The importance of the cab rank rule in ensuring everyone’s right to representation, no matter their client’s cause or societal pressures

• The importance of barristers retaining the role of decision-making over developing technology