Advocate Joe Barr returns to practice – with a plea from the heart!

Advocate Joe Barr has returned to practice after a lengthy absence following a cardiac arrest in May 2012. Until then, Mr Barr had been a familiar figure in the criminal courts, well instructed in numerous jury trials and appeal cases since calling to the bar in 1999.

Mr Barr feels his story may provide a salutary warning to others not to underestimate the stresses of court work and he is happy to share his experience in Scottish Legal News.

“At least it may save me explaining where I’ve been to everyone I meet over the next few months” he joked.

Mr Barr had undergone investigations for heart palpitations in 2011 and 2012. Having been advised that they were benign in mid-April 2012, he suffered a cardiac arrest on 6 May 2012 while playing his regular “Sunday Scrimmage” ice hockey in Kilmarnock.

Only the quick reactions of team mates in alerting rink staff who administered CPR before shocking his heart back to rhythm saved him. He then spent three days in an induced coma and three weeks in various hospitals before having a defibrillator (ICD) implanted.

Despite extensive investigations, no cause for Mr Barr’s cardiac event was established but he firmly believes that stress played its part.

“I had a pretty stressful day in the Appeal Court on the Friday and perhaps watching St Mirren lose on the Saturday didn’t help but I think the accumulated stress of court work going back many years is most likely to have taken its toll” he said.

“I would strongly advise all court practitioners to recognise that we do a very stressful job and to try to monitor and reduce stress levels; heed warning signs like anxiety, fatigue, palpitations and mood changes; and seek medical help where necessary.”

Mr Barr’s other big plea is that we should all lend support to the campaign for Public Access Defibrillators. “The out of hospital survival rate for cardiac arrest is still less then 10 per cent but could be improved greatly if defibrillators were more readily available.”

He tries not to dwell on what might have been had his cardiac arrest occurred while training for the marathon that he was due to run in October 2012. “There’s not many defibrillators to be found on the streets of Paisley” he said.

He resolved to return to the bar having been passed fully fit to resume practice earlier this year. Under the direction of the Faculty of Advocates, he shadowed experienced counsel in the High Court and has successfully completed the Faculty’s Quality Assurance Assessment.

Mr Barr now re-joins the Mackinnon Advocates and is looking forward to appearing in court again but is determined to strike a better work/stress balance and urges others to do likewise.

He said: “My consultant described me as “Lucky of the Unlucky” and the ICD as an “insurance policy” but it’s not one I ever want to claim on. I may not be so lucky next time!”