A Message from the President
Fri Oct 09 2009Senior Counsel Protocol
Members will have received a letter from Greg Curtin concerning the Senior Counsel Protocol.�
Unfortunately, a number of the assumptions Mr Curtin makes are inaccurate and to the extent that he infers that he has any knowledge of� what any person may have said about his own applications, no such information was ever given to him by a member of the Silk Selection Committee.� No process could ever work unless the confidence of those who are consulted is respected .�
In addition, it must be said that senior counsel are not elected; they are selected after an extensive consultation process.� Therefore, the use of such language as "votes" and "voting" is inappropriate.��
The Senior Counsel Protocol is under continuous scrutiny both from within and without the Bar Council.� From time to time it has been varied as improvements are recommended. Furthermore, as Mr Curtin was informed, the Bar Council determined some time ago that it would conduct a further review of the Protocol and any proposals from members, including his own, would be put before the Council.� All suggestions for improvement are always welcome.
Anna Katzmann SC President
�9 October 2009