Former Bar Council chief Richard Atkins apologises for publishing tweet quoting recently deceased judge

A premier QC has arrived under fire for suggesting student barristers must have “well refined shoes” and a “proper hair cut”.

In a tweet week that is last Richard Atkins QC, whom served since the seat of this Bar Council this past year, seemed to straight straight back the views of the recently deceased High Court judge.

Smart terms through the belated Sir Robert Johnson (former Chairman regarding the Bar and tall Court Judge) to their students about having a suitable haircut, dressing wisely and achieving well polished footwear: “Even you can at the least appear to be a barrister. in the event that you don’t understand any law”

Their tweet ended up being dismissed as “outdated” by the appropriate Twitterati, with numerous questioning exactly what a haircut that is“proper is and exactly what a barrister also appears like.

Family barrister Lisa Edmunds had written:

“The career has to look forwards and not‘look that is backwards a barrister’ means what precisely? I’m all for smart and expert but that sounds old college and Dickensian if you ask me.”

Meanwhile, One Essex Court commercial barrister, David Wolfson, stated, “A barrister is not supposed to ‘look like’ anything. A barrister should ‘be’ a lot of things: courageous, reasonable, determined, dependable, truthful and (at the least) competent”.

He added: “ I think you will be all those plain things, just because your shoes aren’t well-polished.”

Other people reminded Atkins so it’s, and, as one silk quipped, “Wait a moment! We’re designed to get completely dressed for court today? We online installment IN thought that ended in March? #tophalfonly #dontstandup”.

Peoples liberties lawyer, Dabaleena Dasgupta, said“this basic notion of ‘looking such as for instance a barrister’ is rooted in patriarchy, racism and classism”. She elaborated: “Because when that advice was handed and sadly still most of the right time now, ‘looking such as a barrister’ means being male, white, and posh.”

Atkins’ tweet described an obituary into the days (£) regarding the former tall Court judge and other Bar Council president Sir Robert Johnson QC.

It described Johnson as “a believer in being correctly dressed” and somebody who “adhered more than many towards the old-fashioned male barrister’s attire of the black colored coat and waistcoat, pinstripe pants, rigid collar and bowler hat”.

The obituary concluded: “He expected their students to possess their hair properly cut and to wear well shoes that are polished. ‘Even in the event that you don’t understand any legislation … you are able to at the least seem like a barrister’”, he could be reported to possess stated.

Atkins, whom heads northern set St Philips Chambers, told Legal Cheek that the tweet had been meant to spend homage to Johnson. He stated:

“I am sorry that the message we tweeted on Thursday quoting Sir Robert Johnson has triggered many people upset. Which was not my intention, I experienced never ever meant to offend anybody. I’d meant to spend homage to Sir Robert Johnson, a guy whom set high criteria for therefore things that are many. It absolutely was additionally designed to be light-hearted. We have invested a sizable section of my entire life wanting to market a contemporary, ahead thinking, diverse club, available to all, and certainly will continue doing therefore.”

The Twitter line comes being a war of terms erupted between family members law practice Vardags and a legal employees’ union over a dress code email that is leaked. The amazing 1,000-word dossier, which discovered its option to Legal Cheek in September, included fashion and life style tips such as for example dressing “discreetly sexy and colourful and flamboyant at precisely the same time based on your preference”.

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