The Bar Council has elected its future leadership, appointing the joint head of 5 Raymond Buildings, Desmond Browne QC, as its chairman-elect, it was announced today (9 October).

Browne was named as the council's vice-chairman and will take on the chairman role from the beginning of 2009. The council's vice-chairman holds the role for one year before becoming chairman. The current vice chairman, Fountain Court Chambers' Timothy Dutton QC, will replace Geoffrey Vos QC as the chairman in the New Year.

In addition, head of criminal set Furnival Chambers, Andrew Mitchell QC, has been elected as treasurer, succeeding Temple Tax Chambers' David Southern, and will also take up his new role on 1 January, 2008.

All three members stood unopposed for their new posts.

Browne, a media law specialist, who was called to the bar in 1969 and took silk in 1990, is heavily involved in the Bar Council's lobbying efforts on the Legal Services Bill and is chair of the Bar's Clementi Group.