Law Weblog

Application and Selection Panel for Queen’s Counsel

Tuesday 19 July 2005 at 1:16 am | In News | Post Comment

The public competition for appointing Queen’s Counsel (QCs) was introduced in England and Wales on 19 July 2005, an independent panel now makes the selection.

Previously, the Lord Chancellor recommended barristers (and solicitors) for appointment as Queen’s Counsel (referred to as silks in recognition of the silk gown they are entitled to wear) following consultation with judges and senior practitioners. There were criticisms that the outcome favoured certain groups.

Under the new scheme, which was developed by the Bar Council and Law Society, applicants will assess their own suitability to take silk under seven headings: integrity understanding and use of the law analysis of case material persuasiveness response to the development of a case working with the client teamwork.

Applicants must provide the names of referees who have recently seen them at work, including 12 judges or arbitrators, fellow practitioners or professional clients. The fee for successful applicants £4,050 (QC’s in previous years were earning not less than £120,00).

The Selection Panel includes a retired senior judge and other eminent persons drawn from the law and lay professions. The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (the Lord Chancellor) will transmit the panel’s recommendations to the Queen. Solicitors, barristers and employed lawyers with suitable advocacy experience may apply. Currently, eight solicitors are QCs.

The procedure whereby a barrister Member of Parliament who becomes a Minister is automatically made a QC appears not to have been changed.

Selection panel’s website, here