https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUoAk8-7Yfo?rel=0
Following a positive meeting with the Bar Standards Board, we’d like to take the opportunity just to express our thoughts as to what we achieved at that meeting. To our great surprise, we were the only people to respond, formally, at this stage, to a consultative document for their strategic plan for 2016-2019.
So we met personally, [the BSB,] Daniel ShenSmith and I, and discussed some huge opportunities for the Bar; there was an open dialogue and discussion about the huge benefits that the Bar can bring, whether it be in new entities, or whether it be regulatory issues moving forward. It’s clear that they have a positive attitude to the way in which the Bar can add value to SMEs (particularly) and businesses, out there across the country, and further afield – abroad and outside of the UK.
There are two key issues; 1. Integrity; 2. Not misusing client money. Particularly, with client money, the real issue is to make sure that you are clear with clients and businesses, about exactly what you’re going to do – the huge obstacles that are often there in relation to csots should be avoided – it’s the prevention rather than the cure. If you are clear with clients, and provide an exact note in client care letters as to the work that’s going to be done, there are going to be less issues for the regulators to be involved.
So, at ShenSmith Barristers, we always work with fixed fees. We always ensure that the client is aware of what they are paying for, in advance – not after. The problems occur after, we don’t have those problems.
– Jonathan Maskew – co-founder & Director, ShenSmith Barristers