UK's Lord Chancellor Hints At Demise Of QCs

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

01 May 2003

Speaking at the ceremony for the presentation of the Silk awards in Parliament on Tuesday, the UK's Lord Chancellor, Derry Irvine hinted at the likely demise of the Queen's Counsel (QC) system, suggesting to the current batch of 121 appointments that they could be the last to enjoy the official mark of state approval.

Revealing that the 2004 Silk round will be postponed until a consultation on the issue has been completed, Lord Irvine explained that:

'The question I must resolve is whether the award of a quality mark is of such central importance to the effective operation of our legal system, that it should continue to be made by the state.'

He continued:

'If the view prevails that a quality mark should still be awarded, but independently of the government, then the state should stand aside and the grant of a quality mark would become an issue for the professions alone: the rank of Queen's Counsel would then go.'

In early March, the Lord Chancellor announced that he would be consulting on his own powers of judicial appointment, the reform of the QC system, and court dress.

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