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Chairman of the Bar Nicholas Green QC Talks to LawNewsUk
In an exclusive interview with LawNewsUK The Chairman of the Bar has commented on among other things, a statement by ex Home Secretary, Jack straw on 'fat cat' lawyers, the future of the Criminal Bar and Legal aid...
It was a pleasure to be able to talk with the Chairman of the Bar who was kind enough to give us some time out of his hectic schedule.
The first point of conversation focussed on the recent comments by Jack Straw the gist of which, lambasted senior criminal barristers for earning too much out of the legal aid budget. The Chairman bemoaned the fact that usually the Legal Services Commission would hand over figures for the top earning barristers funded by legal aid to the MOJ, who would refer those to the Bar Council to check the usual mistakes in the figures. This year that privilege was not afforded to the Bar Council meaning that claims made by Jack Straw were unfair and hugely inaccurate. Some of the barristers who ostensibly fleeced the legal aid pot had in fact earned that sum over 12 years and others had to pay a portion of their legal aid payment The comments were timed at the same time the Legal Aid figures were released.
The outlook for criminal barristers has long been gloomy with many predicting the demise of the criminal Bar apart from for the lucky few due to the cuts in the Legal Aid budget. The Chairman told me that he had been in the North East, where no more criminal pupilages were being handed out and chambers were considering ending their involvement in criminal law. However, plans drawn up by the Bar Council may reverse this trend. Nicholas Green QC said that 30 to 40 per cent of firms could be culled due to a squeeze on budgets. He predicted that the Legal Services Commission were more likely to contract with larger entities so that economies of scale could come in to play. He suggested that chambers of 30 to 40 members could hire solicitors to work with them to produce attractive sized units which could contract directly with the LSC. 'ProcureCo' which can be found on the Bar Council website is a blue print for the survival of barristers chambers.
Finally, in response to questions on the future survival of the Bar he said that recent changes to the Bar Code of Conduct would allow the Bar to compete and ensure that the Bar remains, 'a strong, independent profession ensuring a non fused profession, which will remain advocacy focussed with a strong specialist regulator'.
In short, if the Chairman is right the Bar looks as if its future is in safe hands in an ever more competitive market.
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