The Bar Council, which
represents barristers in England and Wales, will make its case to
Parliamentarians this party conference season to stress the importance of fair
access to justice for all, and highlight the challenges involved in delivering
an effective and efficient system of justice in this time of financial
austerity.
Beginning with the Labour Party
conference in Manchester from 21-24 September, followed by the Conservative
Party conference in Birmingham on 28-30 September, the Chairman will meet with
MPs and party members to discuss key issues on which the Bar Council has been
lobbying parliamentarians over the past year.
These
issues include cuts in criminal legal aid, the future of the Bar, the impact of
the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) on civil
justice, changes to judicial review to make it more difficult to challenge
public authority, and the value of the Bar’s international work to UK plc. The
Chairman will address fringe meetings organised by the Society of Labour Lawyers
and the Society of Conservative Lawyers and take part in other
meetings.
The Bar Council has published a
Party Conference Briefing, available
here, which summarises the points
which the Bar Council will be making to conference participants. In addition,
the Bar Council has published a research report examining the impact of LASPO
legislation on access to civil justice, which is available
here.
Nicholas Lavender QC, Chairman of the Bar Council said:
'We shall be seeking to explain
the impact that government cuts have had on our system of justice and what that
means for those who are unable to afford legal representation. It is important
to highlight the risks which these changes pose to our global reputation for
ensuring effective access to justice and upholding the rule of law. The primary beneficiaries of a
strong and viable legal aid system are the members of the public who depend upon
it, not the practitioners who represent them.
The Bar Council recognises
that the legal services sector is not immune from the effects of the current
unparalleled financial austerity. We are reviewing the procedures and processes
of our criminal justice system and will be identifying the scope for achieving
greater efficiency as well as showing how the Bar can continue to make an
effective, high quality contribution to the administration of
justice.
The Government has recognised
that the Bar is a valuable national asset and makes a significant contribution
to our economy. But it must ensure that the justice system is genuinely open to
all, not least those who are unable to pay for it
themselves.'
