Bar Council ushers in new era of public affairs
The Bar Council has appointed Piran Dhillon-Starkings as Advisor to the Chair of the Bar, following Mark Hatcher’s decision to leave the Bar Council to devote more time to his role as Reader of the Temple.
Chief Executive of the Bar Council, Malcolm Cree CBE said:
‘We are delighted to welcome Piran Dhillon-Starkings as Advisor to the Chair. Piran joins us from the Association of Colleges where she headed up the public affairs function, leading on parliamentary and government relations. She brings experience of working for a senior Member of Parliament. We shall be sorry to say farewell to Mark Hatcher who was the Bar Council’s first Director of Representation and Policy, Interim Chief Executive and latterly Special Advisor to the Chair. Mark transformed public affairs at the Bar Council to a disciplined in-house function.’
Piran Dhillon-Starkings commented:
‘I am delighted to be joining the Bar Council at a crucial time in politics and government, and excited about the opportunities for deploying my skills in political engagement and complex stakeholder relations. The Bar performs a vital role in the administration of justice and in support of the rule of law, often for the poorest and most vulnerable in society. I am looking forward to working with the Bar Council’s Elected Officers and the Senior Management Team led by Malcolm Cree.’
Mark Hatcher said:
‘The Bar Council has been at the forefront of lobbying and campaigning for the Bar and in the public interest on a wide range of matters affecting the justice system. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to representing the profession to government and parliament and beyond on such critical issues as improving the criminal justice system, court reform, Brexit and developing the international work of the Bar, against a very challenging political and economic background. I wish Piran and her colleagues very best wishes for the future.’
