APPOINTMENTS: only one solicitor made QC in last round


The QC selection panel has appealed for more solicitor advocates to apply for silk in the 2008 competition - after only six applied in the last round.



The third competition since the new independent appointments panel took over from what was then the Department for Constitutional Affairs is due to begin within the next month.



Only one solicitor was made silk in the last appointments round, which made up 98 new QCs. The number of successful women and ethnic minority applicants was also down on the previous round.



The panel told the Gazette it is keen to ensure that appropriately qualified solicitor advocates and others in under-represented groups are not put off from applying by misconceptions about the process.



Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, a solicitor member of the appointment panel, said solicitors may have been deterred because they believe the system is 'stacked against them'.



Ms Scott-Moncrieff told the Gazette she wanted to reassure potential applicants that the system had changed a great deal from the previous process, and solicitors were no longer disadvantaged.



'What we have now is an evidence-based system where people are measured against agreed competencies by an independent panel,' she said.



Ms Scott-Moncrieff added that while excellence in advocacy was at the heart of the process, that was not limited to oral advocacy, but included written advocacy.



David Watts, head of the QC appointments secretariat, added: 'Solicitor advocates shouldn't think they have less chance than barristers. The panel is keen to encourage suitably qualified advocates from all under-represented groups to apply.'



Catherine Baksi