New CBA directory planned

John Malpas reports

PLANS to publish a directory of specialist criminal barristers have been unveiled by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).

The association, which has more than 2,000 members, hopes to publish its new directory at the beginning of next year.

The directory will contain details of all the association's members as well as sets of chambers containing or more criminal practitioners who are members of the CBA.

It will be published by Sweet & Maxwell and will be distributed free to sets of chambers, solicitors' firms and the media.

The directory is likely to be similar to the one which the Commercial Bar Association has successfully produced for several years.

CBA treasurer Alan Greenwood, who is in charge of putting the directory together, said the hope was that it would encourage more criminal barristers to join the influential group.

He added: "We felt that people looking for criminal practitioners wanted to have a publication which was deliberately tailored to that need."

The directory will cost between £7,000 and £10,000 to produce and the association is issuing entry forms for its members to complete by the end of October.

Anyone wishing to be included in the directory who is not already a CBA member will have to apply to join the association.