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Archive for May, 2010

Paywall will prove a disaster for The Times

My resignation from The Times set out in the post below has understandably caused further debate in the blogsphere as to the rights and wrongs of their decision to erect a paywall around its content and charge admission to its members-only club. When I resigned I deliberately didn’t want to mix up my own view on The Times’ [...]

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May 30, 2010 · babybarista · 17 Comments
Tags: blogs etc, paywall · Posted in: Uncategorized

Welcome to the re-launch of BabyBarista – keeping it free of charge!

I have today withdrawn the BabyBarista Blog from The Times in reaction to their plans to hide it away behind a paywall along with their other content. Now don’t get me wrong. I have absolutely no problem with the decision to start charging. They can do what they like. But I didn’t start this blog for [...]

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May 28, 2010 · babybarista · 53 Comments
Tags: paywall · Posted in: Uncategorized

Year 4, week 34: waiting for Frodo

Awkward silences today as a chambers meeting sat waiting for TheCreep to arrive since he was scheduled to be making a presentation. After a couple of minutes of strained conversation, TheBusker said: “A bit like Waiting for Godot.” “Or as ClichéClanger always put it,” said OldSmoothie, “waiting to pass go.” To which TheVamp replied, making [...]

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May 18, 2010 · babybarista · Comments Closed
Tags: babyb, chambers · Posted in: Uncategorized

Year 4, week 33: who guards the guards?

OldRuin was in chambers today and talking to HeadClerk about police powers. “It’s the age old problem,” he said. “It’s all very well having an independent police force but then who guards the guards?” “We do. The people,” said HeadClerk. “You know, through Parliament.” “You’re right, of course,” answered OldRuin. “But who guards them?” “Well, [...]

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May 10, 2010 · babybarista · 5 Comments
Tags: babyb, chambers · Posted in: Uncategorized

Year 4, week 32: money-go round

I was at a meeting this morning with Slippery, ScandalMonger, Smutton and TheBoss. Slippery looked in a particularly self-satisfied mood and mused: “You know, I was reading a story the other day in which the world became so technologically complicated that when a glitch occurred there was no-one left who knew how to fix it. [...]

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May 10, 2010 · babybarista · Comments Closed
Tags: babyb, slippery · Posted in: Uncategorized

Year 4, week 32: killing time

“You’re always rushing around, BabyB. Chopping up your life into hours, minutes, seconds. It’s what you lawyers are about. But if you’re not careful BabyB, you’ll turn into one of them and your whole life will be lost onto some dusty, meaningless timesheet.” It was my mother and I didn’t argue because she was right. [...]

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May 6, 2010 · babybarista · Comments Closed
Tags: babyb, mother · Posted in: Uncategorized

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• Law and Peace

  
• Law and Peace is the second novel in The BabyBarista Files and was published in 2011. It is the sequel to Law and Disorder which was described by broadcaster Jeremy Vine as "a wonderful, racing read - well-drawn, smartly plotted and laugh out loud" and by The Times as "a cross between The Talented Mr Ripley, Rumpole and Bridget Jones’s Diary". The books are based upon this blog which appeared on The Times for three years and now appears on The Guardian and which was described by The Lawyer as "genius". The books are available on amazon. You can also listen to 'Law and Disorder' read by Tim Kevan at www.audible.co.uk.

• THE MAIN CHARACTERS

• PanicStricken

  
  

  A new character who's desperate for a training contract but has just been demoted from minimum wage legal assistant to unpaid intern
• 

• OldSmoothie

  
• Think Peter Bowles in To The Manor Born and Milk Tray Man, but not quite. Once successful barrister now put out to graze as a committee man.
• 
  Follow BabyBarista's adventures with the ICLR

• TheCreep

  
• Jumped up little twerp who sucks up to the big beasts in chambers and struts around as if he's really something when actually he's not.

• SlipperySlope

  
  

  Solicitor skilled in the art of creative billing. Has the airs and graces of a country squire but is more a cross between Arthur Daley and Boycie from 'Only Fools and Horses'.

• Smutton

  
  

  Brassy to UpTights’s classy and yet still, somehow, sexy.

• NurserySlope

  
  

  Solicitor who is SlipperySlope's neice. Skis, rides and looks like a horse.

• JetSet

  
  

  A new solicitor character who's got a training contract and lords it over PanicStricken. She's wealthy, well- connected and spends most weekends either skiing or clubbing abroad.

• ScandalMonger

  
• Ruthless PR guru who has become one of BabyB's secret litigation weapons
• 
  

• BigMouth

  
• Pompous Tory MP stuck on the backbenches like a piece of old chewing gum
• 

• BusyBody

  
• A whirlwind of interference with a good heart and always up for a fight, particularly with OldSmoothie.

• TopFirst

  
• BabyB’s sworn enemy and former fellow pupil

• BabyBarista

  
• A young Flashman meets Rumpole meets Francis Urquart for the 21st century

• OldFatherTime

  
• A whisper on the wind, Highlander-type figure who is older than time itself

• TheVamp

  
• Tenant in chambers and a walking Carry On film of an innuendo

• OldRuin

  
• How a barrister should be. Dumbledore meets Clarence, the angel in Its a Wonderful Life. BabyB’s redemption.

• TheBusker

  
• Barrister of ten years call with the integrity and decency of OldRuin. Very laid back in his approach to both court and life. Admired by BabyB.

• TheBoss

  
• BabyB’s ex-pupilmaster. Unscrupulous, spineless coward.

• HeadClerk

  
• The real power in chambers. All seeing, all knowing.

• PupilFodder

  
• Learner Barrister foisted upon his unsuspecting client who gets shredded in court

• UpTights

  
• BabyB’s pupilmistress for his second six months who was almost called BoTucks for the work she’s had done. Insists on boundaries and personal space. Has ‘issues’.

• JudgeJewellery

  
• Judge with penchant for stealing high street trinkets