*/
THE Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) have today welcomed the publication of a consultation paper on a proposed payment scheme for Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs).
The proposals have been drafted by a steering group comprising representatives from the legal profession, including the Bar Council, the Ministry of Justice, the CBA, the Law Society, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Legal Services Commission (LSC). The steering group was tasked with the production of a viable scheme which would ensure appropriate fees for advocates conducting VHCCs, to replace the contract system previously announced by the LSC.
With a new scheme due to come into effect by July 2009, the consultation period for these proposals will run from the 19th December 2008 until the 30th January 2009. The proposals include:
Commenting on the proposals, Tim Dutton QC, former Chairman of the Bar, said:
‘I am very pleased that the steering group has produced a robust scheme, which is testament to the professionalism and goodwill which all involved have shown. In particular, the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw MP, has provided crucial momentum to the process of securing equitable and workable arrangements. The proposed scheme should provide a fair payment mechanism, which reflects the complexity of the cases in question, and the concomitant expertise required of those advocates who conduct them. It will deliver within budget.
It is vital for our justice system that these long and complex cases are conducted by the most qualified and experienced advocates – and that they are fairly remunerated for the work which they put in and the level of responsibility. Anything less would not be in the public interest.
Peter Lodder QC, Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, added: ‘The Criminal Bar Association welcomes these proposals, and I would urge all interested parties to respond to the consultation. VHCCs must be run in an efficient and effective way. It is vital that, as a profession, we provide accurate feedback to the steering group to enable them to assess the response to their proposals. This consultation offers the profession the chance to make their voice heard.’
Commenting on the proposals, Tim Dutton QC, former Chairman of the Bar, said:
‘I am very pleased that the steering group has produced a robust scheme, which is testament to the professionalism and goodwill which all involved have shown. In particular, the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw MP, has provided crucial momentum to the process of securing equitable and workable arrangements. The proposed scheme should provide a fair payment mechanism, which reflects the complexity of the cases in question, and the concomitant expertise required of those advocates who conduct them. It will deliver within budget.
It is vital for our justice system that these long and complex cases are conducted by the most qualified and experienced advocates – and that they are fairly remunerated for the work which they put in and the level of responsibility. Anything less would not be in the public interest.
Peter Lodder QC, Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, added: ‘The Criminal Bar Association welcomes these proposals, and I would urge all interested parties to respond to the consultation. VHCCs must be run in an efficient and effective way. It is vital that, as a profession, we provide accurate feedback to the steering group to enable them to assess the response to their proposals. This consultation offers the profession the chance to make their voice heard.’
THE Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) have today welcomed the publication of a consultation paper on a proposed payment scheme for Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs).
The proposals have been drafted by a steering group comprising representatives from the legal profession, including the Bar Council, the Ministry of Justice, the CBA, the Law Society, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Legal Services Commission (LSC). The steering group was tasked with the production of a viable scheme which would ensure appropriate fees for advocates conducting VHCCs, to replace the contract system previously announced by the LSC.
With a new scheme due to come into effect by July 2009, the consultation period for these proposals will run from the 19th December 2008 until the 30th January 2009. The proposals include:
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
Why were some Caribbean nations given such dramatically different constitutional frameworks when they gained independence from the UK? Dr Leonardo Raznovich examines the controversial savings clause
