Chairman of the Bar, Maura McGowan QC and President of the Law Society, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, expressed hope that the differences that had emerged between the two branches of the legal profession could be overcome: “The Bar Council and the Law Society will be working together in the coming weeks to ensure that the contractual arrangements on which members of the profession do business address the issues which have been identified between us and to promote our common goal, which is in our clients’ and our professional interest.”

The Law Society had issued a practice note in January warning that the new terms were “weighted strongly in favour of barristers” and advising solicitors to negotiate alternative terms of business.