Press

Stepping before a judge requires more than legal knowledge—it demands a carefully honed approach to advocacy. Through decades at the Bar, barrister Emily Windsor, with experience as a judge, has perfected strategies that turn good barristers into exceptional ones in the courtroom. Her insights offer a roadmap for advocates looking to make powerful impressions on the bench and secure better outcomes for their clients.

Remember those old TV dramas where barristers dramatically pound the table, make grand speeches, and somehow win impossible cases through sheer force of personality? The reality of building a successful practice at the Bar is somewhat different these days, and barristers must develop thoroughly modern approaches to client relationships. 

Specialisation versus generalism is a perennial consideration for legal practitioners at all stages of their careers. The decision to focus one’s practice on a particular area of law, as opposed to maintaining a broader portfolio, carries with it significant implications for professional development, client relationships, and long-term career satisfaction. 

In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the power of mentorship. An experienced barrister showing a young pupil the ropes, a judge offering career-shaping wisdom, or a more experienced colleague providing a sounding board — mentorship influences legal professionals at every stage. But what, precisely, makes it so impactful?

Few professions reward the art of persuasion as generously as the Bar. A barrister’s success is determined not by sheer intellect alone, nor by the diligent memorisation of case law, but by an ability to frame arguments with clarity, dexterity, and rhetorical finesse.

Technology has transformed how barristers work – sometimes by design, sometimes by necessity.

Plenty of barristers possess legal knowledge, but advocacy is a separate skill.  Emily Windsor, a property barrister at Falcon Chambers, shares her perspectives on what makes a strong advocate.

The legal profession has undergone remarkable transformations in recent decades, particularly for women at the Bar. Emily Windsor, barrister and former judge, offers perspectives on the changing dynamics for women in the legal profession today. 

The bar, historically synonymous with ink-stained tomes and hushed chambers, has been quietly but profoundly reshaped by the forces of digital evolution.

In recent years, huge efforts have been made within the Bar in England and Wales to open up the profession to a more diverse range of individuals, but there is still work to be done.

You know how most lawyers work for firms, right? Well, barristers don’t. Most are self-employed, which creates a completely different working life compared to what most of us experience.

You’ll never quite understand what it means to be a barrister until you grasp that they’re essentially running their own small businesses, advising on complex legal issues and advocating some of them before judges in court. Unlike solicitors nestled within company structures, barristers paddle their own canoes through legal waters—sometimes smoothly, sometimes against the current, but always independently.

One of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic was that almost overnight lawyers found themselves having to conduct remote hearings for the first time. Lawyers had very little time to adapt, as evidenced by the advocate who found himself appearing in court behind a kitten filter, and having to assure the court that he was not a cat.

Few professions balance tradition and modern adaptability as effectively as the bar, a balance that barrister Emily Windsor understands all too well through her work and contributions to the field.

At the heart of the agricultural holdings legislation lies the principle of security of tenure — a concept that’s historically shielded tenant farmers from the unpredictability of market forces and landlord decisions.