Irish Competition Authority To Urge Reforms For Employed Barristers

by Jason Gorringe, for LawAndTax-News.com, London

23 February 2005

According to a report in the Irish Independent this week, the Republic's Competition Authority is set to call for barristers employed by companies or the state to be permitted to address courts.

Under the current regime, employed barristers are banned from appearing in court or briefing practising barristers, despite the fact that solicitors employed by companies and the government are allowed to appear in courts up to and including the High Court.

The Bar Council argues that such a strict regime is necessary in order to preserve the independence of the profession.

However, in a report set to be released by the Irish Competition Authority on Thursday (and seen by the Independent), the regulator calls for the restriction on employed barristers appearing in court to be lifted, as it has been in England and Wales.

Such a move would, however, have a significant impact on Bar Council membership, forcing its numbers up by around 40%, according to the Irish Independent.

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