Chairman’s Statement – 08.04.14
CBA Chairman’s Statement – The Jeffrey Review of Advocacy
Thursday 8 May 2014
Personal Email: [email protected]
Two things that cry out immediately from the report of Sir Bill Jeffrey are:
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The diminishing amount of the kind of work on which junior barristers traditionally gained their early experience puts in serious doubt the system’s ability to produce criminal QC’s and judges of the future.
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The observations of many that reduction in fees is driving down quality,
What Sir Bill is defining is a legal profession in crisis.
The point that has been made for months is that nobody of any ability will come into the profession.
Judges should not tolerate the inability of an advocate to present a case properly and the public will not put up with the miscarriages of justice that will become an everyday occurrence. The observation that Judges will not be found within the traditional pool of talented lawyers cannot go ignored.
The public have watched whilst a case was halted through a lack of adequate representation. The government answer of “anyone will do ” is no answer at all.
A judicial system in which the guilty are convicted and the innocent go free will
not be achieved by a government whose sole criterion is saving money.
The Bar offers properly trained skilled advocates and value for money.
Notwithstanding this their existence is threatened. Sir Bill Jeffrey’s report cannot be swept under the carpet.
The report is to be found HERE.
I support the observations of Nicholas Lavender QC HERE
The CBA Executive will appoint a sub committee to respond to the report .
Yours,
Nigel
Nigel Lithman QC
Chairman
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