Harman to promote solicitors

Solicitor-advocates should be given judicial and government panel appointments to widen the pool of talent, the Solicitor-General, Harriet Harman QC MP, said last weekend.Addressing the Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates conference in London, Ms Harman - the first solicitor and woman in the role - said she wanted to ensure solicitors with higher court advocacy skills were added to the judiciary and the panel of government lawyers.She explained that one of her roles is to make 'off-panel' nominations of those who may represent government departments because they have specialist legal skills, and solicitors may be included, she said.In her first public introduction to the profession since being appointed, Ms Harman set out the role of the government's legal officers.She said their mission statement was to fulfil three fundamental objectives: fairness, independence and accountability.The law officers would aim to be independent from political influence when deciding matters of public interest such as contempt hearings, and fair in its treatment and role as supervisor of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Ms Harman said action would be taken following the recent Denman report into racial discrimination in the CPS: 'Of all employers in public service, the CPS above all must command the confidence of the public in a mixed-race society, whatever their backgrounds.'Jeremy Fleming