Barristers doing publicly funded work should be required to make electronic records of the hours worked on cases within 48 hours of completing the work, according to the Legal Services Commission (LSC).


It has written to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to propose an amendment to the barristers' code of ?conduct to make it a requirement for barristers to electronically record the date and time specific work has been performed on each case. It said these records should be retained for three years and be produced to the LSC, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or other instructing public ?bodies or departments.



Carolyn Regan, LSC chief executive, said the change was necessary due to public criticism of the '£1 million' criminal law barristers, which was damaging the LSC's reputation and that of the profession.



The BSB will consider the proposal.



Meanwhile, Ministry of Justice figures have revealed that no barristers earned £1 million from legal aid in the last financial year. Balbir Singh of Equity Chambers in Birmingham was the highest-paid legal aid criminal barrister, earning £957,000. Jeremy Rosenblatt, of London set 42 Bedford Row, was the highest paid civil legal aid barrister on £508,000.



Catherine Baksi