Counsel Magazine

THE fourth round of appointments as Queen’s Counsel was announced on 26 February 2010. These appointments are made following consideration by the independent Selection Panel, which recommends who should receive this highly sought-after award. All those appointed have demonstrated excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. Professor Dame Joan Higgins, Chair of the QC Selection Panel, said today:

‘I have great pleasure at the announcement of these 129 names. I warmly congratulate all those whose appointment has been announced today. It is encouraging to see such a wide variety of advocates among the new appointments.

The Selection Panel believes that the quality of applications this year was higher than ever. Nevertheless, inevitably, some applicants have had to be disappointed. The standard for appointment is very high. Even if an advocate has not been appointed on this occasion it does not mean that he or she is not a valued and effective practitioner. The Selection Panel would also like to express its warm appreciation to
the 1700 assessors who provided evidence on behalf of one or more applicants and without whom the process could not have worked effectively. All the Panel's decisions have been based solely on the evidence provided by these assessors and by the applicants themselves. I am encouraged that the proportion of successful applicants from an ethnic minority background broadly matches that for white applicants.