Bar Council chairman Desmond Browne QC (pictured) last week criticised barristers’ apparent apathy regarding the ‘historic challenges’ facing the profession, following a disappointing response to this year’s council elections.

With under a week to go before yesterday’s deadline, just three nominations had been received for 18 vacancies. The Bar Council replaces one-third of directly elected members every year, amounting to five employed barristers and 13 self-employed barristers.

In an email last Thursday appealing for more barristers to stand, Browne said: ‘Everywhere I go on the circuits I am reminded that the bar faces historic challenges in relation to regulatory reforms, as well as dire threats to our legal aid system. The bar rightly looks to the Bar Council to lead them through these unprecedentedly difficult times. How can it possibly be, therefore, that so few members of the profession are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel? I hoped that I would never have to repeat this appeal, but I do so now and ask that it be heeded.’

Browne’s plea seems to have worked; by Tuesday this week each electoral category was oversubscribed.