Solicitor-advocates push for government roles

Solicitor-advocates push for government roles

Solicitor-advocates called for more employment on government panels after being largely overlooked by a report last week into the methods by which such panels are appointed.

The report to the Attorney-General by the panel counsel review group - which included no solicitor-advocates - recommended that Treasury Counsel competitions should be publicised widely across the bar to encourage more applicants , but made no reference to solicitor-advocates beyond saying panel membership is advertised in the Gazette.

The report also recommended that selection boards should be expanded to include non-panel counsel.

But it added: 'The chairman of the Bar [Council] from time to time would be perfectly happy to nominate a barrister (preferably a QC) to participate on the selection board on a panel-by-panel basis.'

Norton Rose partner Philip Reed, a committee member of the Solicitors Association for Higher Court Advocates, said: 'It is very unfortunate that they don't appear to have addressed the issue of how far solicitor-advocates could be used, how far this usage could be increased, and how far solicitor-advocates within the Treasury Solicitor's department could carry out these functions in the future.'

A spokeswoman for the Treasury Solicitor said the review applied as much to solicitor-advocates as to barristers.

In relation to the absence of specific consideration for solicitors and representation on the panel group, she said: 'I suppose that is something we will look at.'

Clifford Chance partner and solicitor-advocate Nicholas Fletcher said potential conflicts of interest posed more of a problem for solicitors than barristers because individuals - rather than firms - are on the panel.

But he said: 'There are very capable solicitor-advocates in the City who would be good at this work.'

Jeremy Fleming