CBA Press Release – 22.05.14

PRESS RELEASE

We welcome the observations of the President of the Queen’s Bench Division

in the case of R-v-Crawley, handed down yesterday. Sir Brian Leveson’s

comments as to the importance of the best quality advocates at the heart of

the criminal justice system echo the report of Sir Bill Jeffrey into the future of

criminal advocacy commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and published last

month. Such comments are also in accordance with the views of the Lord

Chancellor himself, publicly stated, on many occasions.

We have, therefore, invited the Lord Chancellor to re-enter discussions with

The leaders of the criminal bar in order to design as soon as possible, a new system

for the payment of high cost cases; one that provides value-for-money and high

quality in a sustainable and long term manner.

We call, in the meantime, for a suspension to the mid case 30%

cuts which have caused this state of affairs to exist and a cessation of recruitment to the public defender service

We look forward to the constructive engagement with the Lord Chancellor and

the Ministry of Justice as was anticipated at the time of the last

negotiations which both sides entered into and concluded in good faith.

Nigel Lithman QC

Chairman, The Criminal Bar Association

Anthony Cross QC

Vice Chairman, The Criminal Bar Association

Sarah Forshaw QC

Leader, South Eastern Circuit

Mark Wall QC

Leader, Midland Circuit

Andrew O’Byrne QC

Leader, Northern Circuit

Paul Lewis QC

Leader, Wales & Chester Circuit

John Elvidge QC

Leader, North Eastern Circuit

Andrew Langdon QC

Leader, Western Circuit

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